Chasing Ghosts
by Lara Castles
Summary: The war has left it's mark upon everyone, but when Harry and Draco find themselves linked by something they'd have never expected they find themselves chasing ghosts. Literally and figuratively. HP/DM slash
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: Any recognisable characters, setting and scenarios are owned by the wonderful and amazing J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros and other suchlikes. I am making no money and am doing this for purely entertainment purposes, don't eat me. Also, many jokes in these belong to my humorous friends who will possibly eat me if I don't give them credit.

A/N: Hello and welcome. This story has actually been properly planned and I know where I'm going with it this time. You'll notice this is following the same basics as my original version did, only this time I know what's going to happen. I am really enjoying writing this story and so plan on updating it as regularly as possible however I do have other commitments such as school and a life (who am I kidding?) so don't expect daily posts or anything. Bear with me, this will get somewhere but we need the tension first, I'm setting the scene for you all in this chapter and don't worry there will be smut at some point. A huge thank you to every single one of my beta's including but not limited to CrackleInTheDark, my best friend Alicia and Gabrielle & Rowan(who don't have a accounts who I know through tumblr). Other than that, enjoy and bear in mind that for every review I give a sock to a house elf.

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><p>It was 30th of July, ten minutes to midnight. Harry was counting down until his birthday just like he had every year since he was old enough to know the time. He'd never known why he does this though now he's doing it again, he's ever so glad of the sense of normality and routine it was bringing him. Either that or he just didn't really want any sleep. He hadn't had any proper nightmares since the war but he knew that when he closed his eyes there was a presence there. Voldemort. He hadn't actually featured in any dreams yet, however Harry could feel him there watching, like he was waiting for something. He tried to shake it off as his mind playing tricks but he couldn't quite manage it.<p>

After the war it felt like his life had fallen into total chaos and back to normal again all at the same time. He could finally live again without worrying that people are expecting him to become the greatest wizard ever but at the same time, nobody could have sort-of-maybe-died and come back again without changing a little.

The only time he seemed to feel like he fit in anymore was when he was with Ron and Hermione, who often stayed with him at Grimmuald Place. However now, he was alone. He didn't have Ginny or Seamus, not even Luna or Neville. He almost always had somebody there, because he relished company and he just couldn't get by on his own.

Five more minutes, then he'd be 18 and legally able to drink his current favourite beverage in his country. He wasn't exactly an alcoholic. Alcoholics were like Uncle Vernon. No, he just enjoys being a little less aware of how alone he is when it get's cold outside and the house which is too large for him alone seems even more empty than normal. Merlin, he needed to snap out of this.

Harry glanced up at the clock.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one." He counted down aloud, attempting to break the silence, "Happy Birthday, Harry!"

Tipping his drink to the invisible crowd who had gathered around him to keep him company on his birthday he drank up and decided that it would be a good time to get to sleep now. He slowly pulled himself up, un-creasing his jeans and swaying slightly from the sudden movement but just as he did he heard a heavy clunk at the window. He jumped and spun around, a little disorientated by the sound. That was until he saw a bird stood impatiently on his outer windowsil. Walking over lazily and undoing the old fashioned clasp on the drafty window, he let the owl in. The owl was a large brown barn owl, probably in it's latter years and it looked at Harry in a way which clearly stated that it was far too noble and wise to be delivering letters without treats. Deciding to get rid of the haughty looking owl quickly, Harry accio'd some treats and hurriedly fed them to the owl before it hastily flew away.

Carefully sitting himself down so that he wouldn't fall, Harry opened the letter which was branded by the familiar crimson wax seal of the Hogwarts Crest.

_Harry Potter,_

_Due to the severity of last years events and their effect on the NEWT levels and OWL levels, year groups are all going to be repeating the year to insure they get a full education. This is optional for now 8th year students as many will already have enrolled in career paths, so we wish to know who will be attending as soon as possible so that arrangements can be made._

_Please ensure that you have all of the 7th year supplies which were on the list you were sent the previous year. If you no longer have this list then do not hesitate to send an owl and we will reply once again with a full list of what is needed, we also ask that you keep to the 7th year uniform of your house colours._

_The train will leave at 10 O'clock on the morning of the 1st of September on platform 9 3/4 as usual, please do not miss it._

_Regards, Professor McGonagall_

_Headmistress at Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

The strict formality of it all struck him, business as usual it seemed.

Any thoughts he'd had about going to bed were then completely wiped from his mind as he pondered the possibilities of Hogwarts and thought about how much it will have changed. Who will the teacher's be? Will it will be totally rebuilt? Will they have rebuilt the passageways on the Marauder's map? Is the giant squid still going to be there? All the random and pointless questions swam around in his drowning brain and he let them, not wanting to ruin the moment of childish wonderment for himself

By the time Harry went to bed at 3am he'd received 2 muggle birthday cards from Hermione and Seamus plus 3 owls with various birthday wishes on parchments from his friends.

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><p>"Harry!" Draco heard a shrill voice scream the name and nearly sighed at the sound of it. He glanced up to observe and saw Harry Potter pulled into a firm hug by a towering Ron. Harry looked at his two best friends with a ridiculous grin on his face, Draco thought, as he watched the events unfurl from his usual corner in The Leaky. They really were sickeningly happy, they'd won after all.<p>

It wasn't the first time Draco had been to a wizarding area, but he would never get over the suspicious eyes which followed him everywhere. He'd been cleared of all charges on the basis that he really didn't have much of a choice and he'd never actually killed anyone directly. His mother and father weren't so lucky though, they were currently in a cell of Azkaban and most likely soulless by now. His father was probably getting an emotional upgrade from the Dementors, Draco thought bitterly that if he came back he might have be a nicer person.

He'd never got along with his father. However, he'd always had his mother on his side until the past year when even she couldn't stand up for Draco against his father anymore, who he knew she feared more than The Dark Lord himself. Most people who knew his father feared him or hated him, and Draco decided that after all fear and hate are probably the same thing that his father had always told him as a child was called respect.

Not once had he wanted to hurt anybody, sure he didn't like mudbloods or muggles but he'd always thought that killing them all would be a little extreme. In his opinion The Dark Lord had the cowardliness of Slytherin, outright stupidity of Gryffindor, heartlessness of a Ravenclaw and cunning of a Hufflepuff. Not a great combination.

Looking up at the 'No Smoking' sign and cursing inwardly, Draco went to step out of the quickly filling pub and step outside for a cigarette in one of the darker alleys that lead out of this dingy place. There were three people stood in the exceedingly narrow doorway when he got there, arguing about whether or not they'll be on the house Quidditch teams as 8th years.

"Excuse me." Draco said across them, not wanting to meet any of their eyes but still feeling Ron's glare, Hermione's piercing stare and Harry's strangely curious looks. There was a moment of deeply uncomfortable silence and Draco wondered if they were actually going to move.

After a few seconds they shifted to create a gap just big enough for him to walk through. He stepped sideways through them but just as he thought he'd gotten out of this encounter unscathed he heard someone ask him something.

"Are you going back to Hogwarts, Malfoy?" When he turned around the nearest few tables were listening intently.

He hadn't been planning on going back to that awful place to relive his memories and reminisce about the war any more than he'd been planning to volunteer himself for Azkaban, but it felt like letting Harry get one over on him if he didn't. He knew it was stupid but he was determined to prove to everyone, especially Harry, that he wasn't a coward and he certainly wasn't scared of anything.

"Yeah I am. Are you, Potter?" He replied disdainfully before his brain had thought about it.

"Yeah. I'll see you there." All Draco could do to that was nod in a way he thought was nonchalant and begin to walk away into the warm afternoon air.

"Unfortunately." Ron added, red in the face and looking thoroughly annoyed. Draco threw him a sarcastic smile and eyed them all before once again retreating to the streets.

Shit, fuck and bugger were the words on shuffle and repeat in Draco's head as he walked silently from the pub and turned left into a smaller alleyway that was rarely used. Had he really just said that?

Getting a cigarette out of his pocket and lighting it with his wand he reminded himself why he'd tried to stay away from people the the trio. Not only did they make him feel sick to his stomach with the 'goodness' of it all but he did stupid things to prove points to people like that.

He knew it wasn't done for a Malfoy to be seen doing something as silly as smoke a muggle cigarette but he often found that he really couldn't give a shit as to what his parents would have thought, especially not his father. Infact, the fact it'd piss him off is just another great reason to do it. He loved his mother, and he's pretty sure that deep down she loved him but he would never forgive them for what they made him do.

Another heavy drag filled his lungs with the smoky heat that burned and soothed and tickled simultaneously. He leaned casually against the dirty brick wall, uncaring that it was probably ruining his deep grey shirt and slim fit jeans. He hadn't heard anyone coming so his eyes were shut when he felt the cigarette that had been hanging loosely between his slender fingers pulled away from him. He didn't need to open his eyes to know it was Pansy stood there but he did anyway. She inhaled deeply and grimaced, before spluttering a little and handing the cigarette back to him. He took a heavy drag and blew out the smoke into her face, hoping to get across the hint that she was standing too close to him but as usual she took it as an opportunity to get closer. She leaned in closer to inhale the smoke and blow it back in his face, an intimate gesture that really weird-ed Draco out in ways that she just didn't understand.

"Pants, don't." He stated blatantly, holding her gaze.

"Why not?" She stepped back but there was a fierce look in her hazel eyes that reminded him of just how annoyingly persistent she was. "Tell me why."

"You know why. I've said it before." Draco held her gaze but was itching to look away.

"Don't call me Pants, you squib."

She stared back at him for long moments before breaking the uncomfortable staring match they'd entered into by leaning against the opposite wall carefully, obviously more concerned about her appearance. She had grown up well, Draco pondered. She'd lost the look of her flat face and she'd metamorphosed into a darkly beautiful young woman, that was the problem.

"What're you going to do this year then?" She asked, pulling out a small parcel from her pocket and handed it to him. He accepted it with a questioning look, "It's yours, I found it in our Lakehouse."

"I'm going back to school." He replied while trying his hardest to sound like it was just a casual decision but the disbelieving look he got was one that demanded an explanation he didn't want to give, "I just figure there's nothing else to do. What about you?"

"Me too. I don't want to be at home on my own for any longer than I must." Pansy said offhandedly, but Draco knew how much she hated to be alone.

"Have you spoken to Blaise?" Rapidly trying to change the subject of the school he swore never to return to.

"He's at his mother's trail at the moment, apparently she's going to get out of it. Unfair really, she was worse than my parents put together. They didn't even take the fucking mark." The hurt was obvious in her voice as she spoke, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."

"Mmmhmm." Draco was used to that kind of comment now, at least when it was Pansy he knew that she never meant it to be an insult towards him.

"I'm meeting Greg, do you want to come?" She asked, although she knew the answer.

"No. I need to get some shopping done, then I think I'll head back to The Manor. Thanks, though." He reasoned, taking another drag and setting his head back against the wall again.

She stepped forward and pushed his hair out of his eyes. He'd been letting it fall naturally most days, feeling less and less bothered about it all the time although he actually thought he looked quite good with it a little messier.

"I can't decide whether I like this new persona on you, or not." She stated plainly, and walked back out of his favourite alleyway and down into Knockturn Alley where she was no doubt meeting Greg at The Cage. Draco hadn't been there yet, it was the latest food-based edition to the darker side of Wizarding London and it was supposed to be very nice, considering.

He finished off his cigarette, stubbed it out on the ground and walked out into Diagon Alley. It was as crowded and loud as it usually was at mid-afternoon in the weeks before Hogwarts started, full of parents and children all looking for school supplies. All of them blatantly staring at him as if he'd kill them and their children at any given opportunity. Maybe school wasn't a great idea after all...

Draco stepped into Madam Malkins' and half expected to be hexed, he instead was greeted with a cold but professional service as he bought a new uniform.

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><p>"I think they'll have a separate living quarters for us, you know?" Hermione said very seriously, she was excited at the prospect of getting back to school and was exploring every possibility.<p>

She'd found her parents again. They were still at her home but there was no way she could have told them and they believe her, and she hadn't been able to figure out a simple way to undo her memory charm so she'd been stuck. Staying at The Burrow was great, but it wouldn't ever be home for someone who'd had one before and Harry could only begin to imagine how she felt. This, along with the learning and books side of things, was probably one of the main reasons Hermione was so excited about the upcoming year.

"Yeah. Do you think they'll have changed it?" Ron asked her, his feigned interest was good enough and she launched into a debate with herself as they sipped their icy Butterbeers from one of the stands which stood in the middle of the narrow street.

Everything they went through seemed to have bought Ron and Hermione closer than ever, and it seemed to Harry as though they really are in love. Hermione had stayed with the Weasley's since The Battle, she'd been with them all through everything and so has practically become part of their family already. At Fred's funeral she'd read out speeches from each member of the Weasley family who couldn't bring themselves to say it themselves as they'd buried him deep under the earth. She was so much a Weasley now that she needn't even marry into the family anymore.

George had often come and spent days at Grimmuald Place with Harry, because he couldn't bear to be in the house where Fred and himself had grown up as one and had confessed to him that it felt as though he'd lost half of himself. He'd then asked if twins were each other's horcruxes. His humour had taken a turn for the worse, it seemed.

It was getting into evening now and they had bags full of stuff they'd bought with reference to Hermione's list. They had books and uniform and ingredients and equipment to last them a lifetime, or a year at least. He could tell that his NEWTs were going to be hard. Harry had bought everything but an owl, he couldn't bare to replace Hedwig in any way. It would feel like a betrayal after everything she'd done for him and he was sure that any other owl would just feel like an oddity in his life.

The thought of losing Hedwig bought all his thoughts back to the war suddenly, and he found himself replaying the entire thing in his head.

"I wonder what happened to the room of requirement." Harry spoke aloud to himself, and his friends didn't miss it. They never missed anything he said.

"I'm not sure, but I hope we won't need it for anything too serious this year." Hermione said, spinning around and walking backwards without letting go of Ron's hand so she could face Harry, "Come on, we're meeting Ginny for dinner at The Leaky Cauldron in five minutes."

They all sped up a little and Harry marvelled to himself about how normal it all felt. Hermione and Ron were still just as they'd always been, Ginny was waiting and there wasn't anything serious to worry about. For the first time in his life he felt like he was living for himself again.

When they arrived Ginny was sat at a table waiting for them, she didn't have a drink and she didn't look like she'd been there for too long so they joined her without an apology. Ron and Hermione sat opposite her and Harry went to sit down next to her. She was one of the few girls in the school who weren't taller than him and it was a relief to not crane his neck up to her all the time. He felt comfortable to be sat with his friends, just as he always did.

They talked and ate and drank for hours and he never even noticed the time passing because he was so contented. They laughed about stupid things and did impressions of people they didn't like. They talked in depth about the upcoming year and joked about random things that sprung to mind.

One moment they were all having a perfectly decent conversation about which make of broomsticks were the best, and then Harry felt a small, warm hand on his thigh. It wasn't overtly suggestive but he knew her intentions. It wasn't as though he didn't like Ginny, he loved her and she was... She had nice skin but it just didn't feel right. Harry reached down under the table to hold her hand, putting their hands on the brown leather of the comfortable booth they were sat at. She looked at him and raised her eyebrows to ask for an explanation, she demanded to know exactly what he was thinking with an overbearing stare but Harry just shrugged and looked away, wondering why she put up with him.

Watching these moments unfold before them were Ron and Hermione, Ron looking thoroughly confused and Hermione giving Harry the look that terrified him as it was obvious she knew something he didn't.

"Well, we're um... Heading back to The Burrow. " Ron said rather awkwardly and blushed, "There's some of your birthday cake left over if you want to come?"

"You guys go, tell mum I'll either firecall or be back later." Ginny replied and smiled at them as the both got up to leave.

"See you soon!" Harry called after them, wishing they'd have stayed just a while longer so that Ginny couldn't have asked him about what just happened.

They both waved at him as they apparated with a crack next to the fireplace. He watched the dust where they'd been stood settle again after the disruption and brought his attention back to Ginny.

"What was that all about?" Ginny asked fiercely, demanding answers then and there.

Harry looked at her and realised that she really was a younger version of Molly Weasley. She was exactly the same in every single way, the way she held herself, the way she is definitely in charge and she was even starting to look a little like her mother.

"Nothing. I just don't feel like it." Harry replied, trying to keep it short and trying not to give away the hint of dishonesty in his voice.

She didn't buy it for a second, she knew Harry too well and she seemed to be able to read his mind sometimes but not always in a good way. She once again raised her eyebrows in question but when she realised that was all she was getting she rolled her eyes. Incredibly exasperated, she sighed heavily and tilted her head while leaning towards Harry, landing squarely on his shoulder. Harry didn't mind this, infact he loved her company but he couldn't make himself feel the way people expect him to about her no matter how long and hard he tried.

"You never do, do you?"

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><p>The next week passed slowly for Draco, he sat around the Manor without any desire to leave. A few people came to visit him and some of their distant family came for a short while but as he was actually an adult now and so didn't need childcare they left fairly quickly. It wasn't as if Draco didn't love this place, it was his home. However, every thing he looked at reminded him of his mother which set off an empty ache in the pit of his stomach or his father which made him feel the sudden need to break it.<p>

Secretly, he was glad to be going to Hogwarts the following day. Dimpy was in his bedroom packing his case and he'd sent an owl to Professor McGonagall the afternoon he'd seen Harry in Diagon Alley, she'd replied professionally but he couldn't help but feel slightly unwelcome. He didn't really belong anywhere any more, not with his friends or his family or even at Hogwarts. Never really being used to being a loved character he found that he didn't mind this too much, though sometimes he thinks that he really wouldn't mind somebody to just keep him company who understands.

He heard a knock at his office door, he wasn't doing work but it was his favourite room in the house simply because it was the only room that was solely his own. Kicking his feet back off the top of his desk and stubbing out his cigarette he called out, "Come in!"

"Master, Sir. Mr Blaise Zabini has come to see you, Sir. Am I to call him through, Sir?" Wimby asked very quickly, and bowed lowly.

"Yes, bring him through." Draco said, trying not to show his surprise or excitement at the possibility of seeing his best friend again after at least 3 weeks.

Wimby bowed deeply and went to quickly drag through a very amused looking Blaise by his hand. As she shut the door behind her Draco nodded at her in thanks and she smiled broadly just as she always did. If Draco ever got really lonely he could always sit with the house elves. He nearly laughed aloud at that mental image.

"When did you get back?" Draco asked, half curiously and half accusingly.

"Yesterday evening. Just in time for school but I thought I'd come and see you before we went." Blaise replied.

He strolled around Draco's office, looking through the books on his shelves and acting as if he was the owner of the world. Draco settled back into his original position, feet up on his deep mahogany desk as he grabbed his mug of coffee and held in one hand carelessly. Casually as anything, Blaise leaned against the windowsill opposite Draco's desk so they were facing one another head on and Blaise's face said it all. He wanted to talk.

"How did the trial go?" Trying to keep his voice as business-like as possible.

"Last minute evidence came up against her. Nothing anyone could say or do. We still don't know the decision but it wasn't looking good. I should be getting an owl but she's making me go to school while they hold her." He was so obviously in turmoil but like all good Slytherin's he kept it all well hidden under a face of perfect calm.

"You can always come and live with me, you know." Draco knew that it wasn't his mother he was worried about losing. It was the fact that he wasn't technically the heir to anything if the Wizengamot decided she was going to Azkaban, simply because he'd been written out of his families wills until he proved himself. Obviously, once he had it was too late for them to change it.

"I know, but even if you're my best friend that would be ridiculously undignified for a Pure Blood to lose everything and have to move in with someone as a charity case." The smirk on his mouth as he said that showed something that contrasted with the look of worry in his eyes. He crossed his ankles over one another and looked down at the floor again, still leaning heavily against the deep windowsill.

"That's true." Retorting with dark sarcasm, "Spoken to Pants?"

"She hates being called that. I think she'd hex anyone for it, even you." Blaise grinned teasingly, pointing out her infatuation with him, "No. Not since she saw me at The Ministry, and I think she's a little pissed that I had a chance at keeping my mother when she didn't."

"Her parents were the only ones who ever seemed to care." Draco finished his coffee and reached for another cigarette, "Want one?"

"Narcissa cared, you know she did."

"Yeah well, she cared less than her fear of her husband. That doesn't count. So?" Draco replied, waving his packet in the air in front of him.

Blaise simply nodded and put out his hand as Draco muttered "flammio"and lit two, stretching across his desk to hand one to Blaise and putting another in his mouth.

"I've never liked these, you know? They're disgusting." Musing to himself, Blaise studied the glowing tip as he spoke.

Draco knew that now wasn't the time to comment on the fact it can't be that terrible if he's smoking one, so they lounged in silence for a long time.

Blaise was the same as ever, he still had his hair shaved neatly and close to his head, he still had deep ebony skin that contrasted starkly against his crisp white shirt that he wore with a fitted pinstripe black suit and various richly coloured ties. Today he'd picked a crimson tie, with the slightest shimmer to it and matching cuff links. It seems he too, had discovered that the world of what muggles believe to be their fashion is actually run by wizards and was therefore acceptable to be seen in. He looked good, just as he always did. Draco wondered how he'd managed to have such good taste in everything and to always look immaculately groomed with everything that was going on.

Draco really had become to neglect his life. It was now a regular occurrence for him to be found in tight jeans and an undone shirt, ridiculously and disgustingly casual by any pure blood's standards. He'd also been doing his families socialising less and less, the pretentious cunts his parents had called friends just weren't to his taste.

Blaise sauntered over to the desk, stubbed out his cigarette in Draco's crystal ash tray and smiled absently, "I remember when this was our secret room... And we used to hide in here when my parents came to get me, because only you and the house elves knew the password."

His voice was distant and it was obvious that his mind was reliving the only time in their childhood's they'd had actual fun.

"And we just sat in here practicing magic for hours."

"Yeah." His face suddenly grew a little more serious and he added, "I'd better get going. I'll come visit you in the holidays if I don't see you before then."

"You'll see me tomorrow, unless you avoid me." Draco said, he'd totally forgotten to tell Blaise about his sudden change of heart towards Hogwarts.

"Really? What made you change your mind?"

There was absolutely no use in lying to him. He knew Draco better than Pansy did and so he'd see straight through that lie in a second.

"Saw Potter. He asked and I didn't want to say no." He opted to just be honest.

"You really do need to get over that." Blaise was saying, "Your little thing with him. You know what they say; love or hate, it's still an obsession."

"Fuck off."

"Great, see you on the train." With that, Blaise winked at him and walked back out of the study before he apparated presumably back to his home.


	2. Chapter Two

**Chasing Ghosts 2**

_**Disclaimer:** Disclaimer: Any recognisable characters, setting and scenarios are owned by the wonderful and amazing J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros and other suchlikes. I am making no money and am doing this for purely entertainment purposes, don't eat me. Also, many jokes in these belong to my humorous friends who will possibly eat me if I don't give them credit._

_**A/N:** Hello sweeties. Thanks for reading on to chapter two. I've been beavering away and I hope all of this is up to scratch. They're at Hogwarts again, yay! So many ridiculously grateful thanks to my beta CrackleInTheDark who has been so helpful and I just couldn't have done it without her. I give a sock to a house elf for every single review!_

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><p>Ron and Hermione were late, typically. However freakishly good Hermione's time keeping skills were, Ron's lack of familiarity with the concept of space and time limits seemed to outweigh it. There was only ten minutes now until the train leaves and Harry was now debating whether to go and save them a seat. Just then a crowd of trolleys swung around the corner with Ron and Hermione at the front, ushering through a group of what Harry presumed to be first years.<p>

"Sorry, Hermione decided we were going to round up every lost little wizard and witch in the station and get them through." Ron appologised, sounding thoroughly tired. They loved each other, but they argued like they'd been married for a very long time.

"Yes, well. We'd have been here already if Ronald had have just believed me that public transport is infact far faster than trying to get an old car around muggle London." Hermione looked just as flustered but turned around to face the gaggle of slightly scared looking youngsters, "Just lean on the wall, casually so that the muggles don't notice, or walk through. It'll take you to the platform, Harry and Ron will go first but I'll stay until last."

The boys exchanged incredulous looks but silently decided that it probably wasn't best to provoke Hermione in one of her moods so they went through to the platform without argument. They pushed their luggage down to where the house elves were and helped them get them into the carriage. Hermione would have been so proud.

Shoving and squirming their way through the hoards of parents and children and animals and luggage they managed to bump into a few people, Justin Flinch-Fletchley and Hannah Abbot were already sat in one compartment together and as Ron and Harry walked past they all waved at one another enthusiastically.

It was good to be back, however painful the memories were.

"No! You don't just give it to them and expect them to do it for you! Help them, for Merlin's sake give that to me now!" They heard Hermione's familiarly stern voice echo through the station, clearly she'd caught one of her adopted first year friends giving their luggage to a house elf which was now most likely just trying to get out of the way of a raging young woman.

"Mental, that one. I'm telling you." Ron commented, neither one even turned around to watch as Hermione caused quite a commotion with the luggage.

Together they walked down to the far end of the train to look for an empty compartment. Walking up and down trying to find a place to sit was just part of the Hogwarts express and it'd feel weird if they didn't have to do it. What felt weirder was that people seemed to move out of Harry's way quicker and smile at him far more often than they used to. Harry really wasn't too sure as to whether or not he liked it. After a while they found a small empty compartment and silently agreed to sit. The Hogwarts Express was busier than ever this year as there was an extra year group of students.

Speaking of students, out of the corner of his eye Harry spotted a group of familiar Slytherin's. Draco Malfoy had maintained himself as the leader of his little 'pack' but they all seemed at little quieter, they certainly weren't shoving people over or threatening to hex mudbloods. Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zabini, Millicent Bulstrode and Sally-Anne Perks were looking slightly out of place for the first time in their lives. It wasn't as if they were unwelcome but they weren't welcome either. However much he loved to hate them, Harry had to hand it to the Slytherin's, they really were sticking together. For whatever reason's they were doing so, it was something he admired. He turned to observe them as they strolled across the platform, dropping their bags near the elves and continuing to walk collectively in a way that exuded a quiet confidence. Not wanting to admit the fact he was totally fascinated by how they could still be like this although a fair chunk of the school hated them, Harry decided to warp his face into a look of distaste.

Harry saw Hermione walk calmly into the compartment and Ron moved up so that she could sit at the window.

"I just saw Winky, you know? She looks a lot better but she still wouldn't accept the money." Hermione looked at them both, clearly testing whether or not either of them particularly cared.

"I'm glad she's okay but no house elf would really want to be paid 'Mione." Ron countered in the same delicate tone he always used for this subject.

"Well they should. Dobby was happy, why can't they be?"

"Dobby was different." The pang in his chest made Harry feel the need to speak for Dobby, "He wasn't your average Elf, he's the only one I've ever met who was so free thinking. I think he's the only one I'll ever meet who was quite so... Special."

If it wasn't for the commotion outside of the carriage then you'd have been able to hear a pin drop or a knife slice through the tension. Ron was staring, eyes wide and mouth left slightly open and generally looking like he'd just seen a Nargle. On the other hand, Hermione looked at him as if he was a complicated Arithmancy equation that she was working out in her head. Wonderful.

It wasn't the first time he'd spoken about the people who'd died, but for some reason the sudden emotion that had been bought back by being here shocked them all. Harry had completely stumped them both by his emotional outburst.

The dreadful silence dragged on for a fair amount of time after that, they all sat and simply stared at one another before Hermione took control of the situation and changed the subject, clearing he throat a little before.

"It's going to get awfully cramped on the train, we'll probably have to share the compartment. I don't think they've put any extra carriages on, which is strange." Hermione was clearly trying very hard to pretend Harry hadn't just said that. It was the first time Harry had spoken about Dobby since they'd buried him and it had shocked him how his voice had cracked at the emotions that surged through him while he thought about his old friend.

"Well, how many of us are there?" Ron caught onto what she was trying to do and furthered the conversation.

"22 when McGonagall last owled me. It could have changed but that's a carriage full of people." Hermione answered simply, they all knew she owled her favourite teacher pretty much daily.

"Oh..." Ron trailed off.

It was good to be back, but it felt so surreal to be acting like normal again. In the thick of the war they'd have done anything to go back to this.

It wasn't as if he was tired, he just couldn't think of ways to make himself motivated to do anything other than get monumentally drunk and spend time with people. If he could just do that for the rest of his life, he would but Hermione wouldn't ever let that happen. She'd convinced him that he should infact come to Hogwarts each time he'd talked himself out of it.

There was a jolt of the carriage and he saw Ron and hermione's expressions changed from amused about whatever they were saying to thoroughly confused. As if on queue the sliding door to their compartment swung open with a heavy crash which was soon followed by a thick Irish accent that they all knew a little too well.

"C'man, they've put an extra carriage on f'rus!" He grinned devilishly at them all and began to walk resolutely up the train, rounding up the eighth years.

Terry Boot traipsed after him, throwing them a quick smile and "hey" before hurrying after Seamus excitedly.

* * *

><p>Draco was about to shatter like glass. People stared at him, mothers pulled away their children and people parted for them to walk past as if they had some sort of infectious disease. He could have imagined that life was the same as always, had he stayed in The Manor and never spoken to another Wizard again but now that he was here he was fully aware of just how much people hated his family and what they thought they stood for. As much as he wished more than anything else in the entire world that he didn't, he cared.<p>

On the outside however his face was calm and confident, his eyes were stone walls and he looked as ridiculously self-assured as ever. Finely tailored suit trousers and a slightly loose tie wrapped around the collar of his plain shirt gave the illusion that he really hadn't changed in the past months at all. Pansy had forced him to wear this when she'd come to see him that morning and he was more grateful than he'd ever admit to being. He felt like at least if nobody knew who he really was, then he could pretend it was someone else they were all so terrified of. In truth it was an entirely different person.

Sally-Anne rounded on him as they got into one of the carriages. She always was one of the more sensitive of his housemates, and so it was probably obvious to her that Draco was shutting away anything that could have been described as feelings.

"It's not you they hate, it's who you used to be. Remember that." That was all she said, it was all she needed to say and all Draco needed to hear.

Pondering what had just been said, he just kept walking and looking for seats without really doing so at all.

Always so self assured, he was Draco Malfoy. In his mind, he was the greatest Slytherin anyone had ever known. He was a child his parents were proud of and someone who would be truly powerful in the future. Or so he'd thought. Now, as he looked back at himself all he could see was a coward who had wanted nothing more than his parents attention and love, someone really pathetic. Someone who'd cared a little too much, and far more than they would have been willing to admit.

Pansy grabbed his arm and pulled him into one of the booths with her eyebrows raised in question. Shaking himself back into reality Draco realised he'd obviously missed a question.

"Pardon?"

"We were asking what lessons you were doing." Blaise said without a hint of patience, "I'm taking Potions, Charms, Arithmancy and Runes."

"Oh, right. Well I think I'll do Potions, Divination, Arithmancy and Astronomy." He truly hadn't put too much thought into all of this, "On second thoughts, maybe not Astronomy."

"You're good at Astronomy." Pansy said, as if that was what is stopping him, "I think I'm going to take Defence just for laughs. Just to see what people say when I turn up."

Draco laughed at that. Simply imagining people's faces as she turned up to defend herself against the dark arts which everyone in the school presumed she was the embodiment of. In truth Pansy was the darkest of his friends, the one he could imagine becoming a proper death eater. It wasn't as if she was heartless, she just had a way of being more cruel than anyone thought her capable of when she was angry. She once held a first year under the imperius curse for 3 hours because they'd stolen her favourite book, they'd run around and slaved after her. They'd even rewritten the entire novel before she'd released them and apparently they had terrible bruises afterwards. Nobody was safe when Pansy was angry.

Draco wouldn't have admit it under veritaserum but it was one thing that truly made them friends. They'd both used that curse, and only they knew it. He'd been forced to by his father but she hadn't and it scared Draco a little that she enjoyed it more than she should have.

Just then, a few people Draco vaguely remembered being in Slytherin went to sit in the booth opposite them. They were talking animatedly about something they all found hysterical and Draco marveled at just how innocent they sounded, and how he couldn't remember a time he'd ever been allowed to have that much uninhibited fun. His father had always told him that it was silly and careless to damage one's reputation with such things as 'fun'. Maybe that was why he was always so cruel.

One of them took a short break from laughing to look around, and spotted Draco. Without really thinking Draco shot them a cold and quick smile, the boy looked disconcerted by this and rapidly went back to talking to his friends.

"Honestly, Draco! Are you listening to a single word I'm saying?" Pansy demanded looking exasperated and fully annoyed.

Blaise almost smirked at him, "You really should pay attention, or Pants'll get her knickers in a twist again."

They shared a look of amusement, but held it together with a lot of effort.

"Funny." It was a deadpan from Pansy but it just turned the barely concealed smiles into outright laughter at the indignation on her face.

They'd picked the very end coach as usual. It was quieter as people tended to head straight for the compartments nearest to the front. It wasn't like they were anti-social, society seemed to hate them though. It was nice to have solitude, escpecially when people were now openly showing hatred towards them. At least with his friends he could relax without worrying too much about what school was going to be like. They could share jokes and spread rumors and tell secrets like they always had, because he knew that even though they weren't the most famously chummy group of friends in the school, that they would stick together like they always did.

"Why isn't Greg coming?" Draco asked suddenly. He'd not overlooked his friends absence and was wondering why nobody had mentioned it to him.

There was a silence then, Pansy and Blaise looked at each other carefully. They knew something he didn't and it would drive Draco crazy if he didn't find out what.

"The Aurors have found more evidence. They've taken him for more trials." Blaise looked sick saying it aloud, and they all knew that meant someone in the Ministry was determined to get him into Azkaban.

"What evidence?"

"Memories, indisputable evidence that he didn't only perform unforgivables when he was forced to by someone. When he did it on that Brown girl." Pansy almost spat the name as if it were a cuss word.

"Before you ask, we know she's dead. Someone saw." Picking up where Pansy had left off, Blaise gave him a look that clearly spelled hatred to whoever had bought their friend his ticket to Azkaban.

At first Draco thought someone had thrown a badly cast hex at them, the coach shuddered and moved under them and there was a loud bang. After a split second of panic he figured he was on a train, it's going to move. There was a few looks of confusion on the faces of the people on their carriage but then they all spun around to look at the one person who was going to make a spectacle of themselves.

"The fuck was that?" a rather unladylike sentence slipped from Millie's mouth and she stood up to look for what had happened.

"Sit down, Millie. We're on a train, they move." Tracey Davis who had joined them only moments before was starting her ritual 'try and teach Millicent Bulstrode to be a respectable human being' lessons earlier than normal this year.

There was a soft rumble of giggles and it felt like nothing had happened to them, like the last year had never happened. People resumed muted conversations and the many remaining seats in the coach remained empty when groups of people went to get in, saw them and walked out the other direction. A few of their lower-year house mates filled booths but it seemed anyone else went running for the hills so they were all utterly confounded when they heard a swarm of cheerful voices sweeping down the narrow isles of the next cart, heading straight for them.

The gaggle of students stopped in the doorway. Seamus Finnegan's face went from genuine smile to utter distaste in seconds and when people realised why they'd stopped the crowd fell silent. There was a stare down between them all, more of them choosing to glare at Draco than anybody else.

"Come on now, we're not children anymore." Sally-Anne called across, "What's going on?"

Dean Thomas who had been stood a few people back stood up a little taller and grinned at her, Draco had heard that she'd made friends with a few people from other houses but the very last person he'd expected was any of Potter's Posse.

"They've put an extra coach on for Eighth Years." Anthony Goldstein was already dressed in his Ravenclaw uniform and was looking at them all as if they'd bite him if they got the chance.

With that the group paraded proudly right through the coach and into the next, much of their carriage getting up and joining them. Harry and his friends still walked like they owned the school, as did the rest of the Gryffindor's.

There was a moment of silence when Pansy, Blaise and Draco just looked at each other, not sure whether they should get up or not.

"Come on then, let's not delay the pain." Draco joked, but he knew none of them really wanted to get up and go to sit with a group of people who largely despised them.

Standing up and physically bracing himself for whatever was to come next, Draco stood up and was shortly followed by Pansy and Blaise as they walked as imperiously as they could muster into the next carriage.

"Oh look, it's the amazing bouncing ferret and his other rodent friends." Ron called across to them spitefully, but Draco saw Harry elbow him and shake his head almost warningly from where they were stood with the Patil twins.

"Ferret's aren't Rodents, Weasley." Lisa Turpin called across to him, rolling her eyes.

Draco felt conflicted, he wanted to sit down in the corner, not make eye contact with anyone or apparate out of there but at the same time he couldn't just take that. He, Draco Malfoy couldn't possibly just walk away without so much as an insult in the direction of all the people glaring at him hatefully.

"Great to see you all again, too." Was what he came up with. A compromise. It seemed to do the trick as once he'd settled down in the corner next to the door he became aware that people had once again began to return to their usual conversations. Talking animatedly and carelessly about things that didn't really matter and settling down into seats for the journey. Pansy had sat herself on the opposite side of their table next to Blaise. She smiled at Draco comfortingly before turning to address Blaise, whispering something to him.

He nodded soberly and whispered something back before looking Draco directly in the eye and mouthing 'Potter'. Draco didn't understand, he narrowed his eyes dubiously and got a slight head jerk backward in response. Looking over the top of Blaise's head he saw the very person sat at the next table along, studying him carefully and not bothering to look away or change his expression when they locked eyes. Draco felt a shiver of guilt run through him and he couldn't quite bring himself to sneer at the boy he'd spent his life making miserable. Bloody Potter.

* * *

><p>It seemed to Harry, like an age before they arrived at Hogwarts. Conversation had fizzled out within a few hours of the journey starting and they'd all sat around, playing muggle monopoly and wizards chess for lack of anything better to do. Harry couldn't have said that he'd loved it but it was better than sitting in silence for hours with nothing to do.<p>

The first hour had passed without too much disruption, until Luna had come in with Ginny. Ginny had pounced on him accusingly, asking him why he hadn't come to see her yet quite loudly in front of everyone and Harry gave a very lame excuse about wanting to spend time with his friends. Before she could have shouted that she was his friend too Luna said very airily that she thought it'd be 'best to leave them all in peace or risk further discomfort for everybody'. After that highly embarrassing encounter and Harry skulking off under Hermione's command to go and see Ginny the journey had been somewhat uneventful.

The train finally came to a full standstill and the usual chaotic swinging of bags, slamming of doors and pushing past queue's began. Nobody wanted to be on the train for any longer than strictly necessary and after such a ridiculous length of time they were eager to get out into the fresh air but Harry motioned for Hermione and Ron to wait for a minute.

Once a few people had got off the train and left some breathing space in the isle the trio picked up their bags and made for the closest exit.

"Wonder what Peeves is planning for the first years?" Ron joked and Harry felt a pang of familiarity. Grimmuald Place was great, but it was his house and this place was most definitely his home. Out of natural politeness of being brought up in a house where he was the underdog and so being starved for any form of respect, he didn't walk ahead with Ron and Hermione when they walked out. Instead he stopped to let out the group of Slytherin's he was blocking the exit from, moving aside to let them pass.

Parkinson turned on him and gave him a suspicious look as she got up but when Draco nodded his head in acknowledgment, they seemed to decide to simply follow him. Barely resisting the sudden urge to roll his eyes at their childish reluctance to actually speak to one another, Harry simply smiled at them in a way that was far more sarcastic than friendly. When he'd let everyone out in front of him and then finally made his way off the train Ginny, Ron and Hermione were stood waiting for him. Ginny had her eyebrows raised in that scary way which reminded Harry too much of Molly to even comprehend and Hermione seemed to follow her lead while Ron's brow's were furrowed worriedly.

"Why does this remind me so much of sixth year?" Ron asked casually, obviously bringing up a conversation they'd been having about him earlier.

Hermione giggled and Ginny smirked a little, they were obviously sharing this inside joke about him openly now. Although it annoyed Harry a little he decided he was okay with it as long as it helped them get inside sooner rather than later. Awful weather quickly reminded Harry that even after a long journey, he was still in the U.K. Wrapping his scarf more tightly around his neck, Harry went to walk with them towards Professor McGonagall who was ushering people through, directing and dictating to all year groups the instructions for the evening. Apparently many of the children could now see thestral's if one were to judge by the number of them looking at them curiously in the distance. Harry heard a booming voice with a thick West Country accent across from the lake, shouting at someone to "Stop being so daft and get in the boat not the water you silly turnip!" and Harry knew he really was at home.

"Ginevra Weasley, go with your classmates to the carriages please!" He heard McGonagall's strained voice shout over, "Eighth years will come with me! First years to the lake with Hagrid!"

Sighing dissappointedly, Ginny looked Harry in the eye and rested her hand on his shoulder. It struck Harry that she really was catching up and soon to be the same height as him, if not taller. Not that it was too hard... Why was he thinking about this now?

"I'll see you at dinner." She said, pecking Harry swiftly on the cheek before heading off towards the thestral's nearly jogging to catch up with Demelza Robins so that she wouldn't be going the full journey up the long lane to Hogwarts alone. Harry always felt awkward around women. He cursed himself with a barrage of carefully chosen four letter words inside his head for being such an idiot when it came to women.

"Is that everybody?" McGonagall's voice cut through the cold evening air like a knife and she grabbed everyone's attention effortlessly, "Good. We have provided you with your own separate dorms and living space for eigth years, the same rules apply to this space as would your common room. Only eighth years are allowed in. You'll each be given your house common room's password so that you may visit there freely. The entrance is under a trap door opposite the Tapestry a little way to the left of The Great Hall and your password is Unity. The same school rules apply to you as to the rest of the students. Miss Granger will show you to the common room after dinner and the sorting ceremony. Is that clear?"

There was no noise from the previously rowdy group of teens as they all went to process this information they'd been bombarded with. Ron raised his eyebrows in playful question at the last sentence and shot Hermione a look that screamed 'teacher's pet'. There was a moment of awkward tension when nobody dared to say anything because they knew that it was a rhetorical question but McGonagall hadn't yet moved.

"It's good to have you all back." She added then, and Harry knew she'd make the best headmistress Hogwarts had seen, because she truly cared, "Go on then, straight to the Great Hall!"

Ushering them through with her hands she pointed them towards the Carriages and watched them like an overly strict mother would watch her children. Harry would always miss Dumbledore and his odd words of wisdom that had made him the greatest teacher anyone had ever had but he'd taken a liking to this side of McGonagal already. They ambled aimlessly towards the Thestrals and as they waited for an available carriage Harry stopped to stroke one of them but had to pull away when it snapped at his fingers.

"Since when were you showing us the common room?" Ron asked indignantly.

"Since McGonagall caught up with me on the train and told me where it is." Hermione replied easily.

"You really are a teacher's pet, you know that?" Speaking with blatent honesty to Hermione about schoolwork could be considered an act of chivalry.

"Yes well, no wonder I haven't got any friends." Hermione retorted and Harry snickered. There really wasn't any hope for Ron if he was going to try and outwit her.

She turned around and grinned at Ron who picked her up and threw her straight over the top of his broad shoulders so that she was helpless to do anything but kick and squeal. Harry turned towards them and laughed openly at their bickering whilst Hermione protested to being tossed playfully into a cart that they were getting into. Ron had a particularly pleased-with-himself smile on his face as they made their way into Hogwarts with grins and giggles.

* * *

><p>"Slytherin!" The battered sorting hat cried and a cheer erupted from the table Draco was sat at. Draco reluctantly joined in and welcomed the dark haired young girl who was now walking proudly towards the other end of their table.<p>

All of the first years looked a little muddy and Draco guessed that was Peeves's doing. Professor McGonagall was still clapping proudly in a way that rather resembled a mother hen when the rest of the hall died down a little.

"Congratulations, all of you. We have significant changes this year, Professor Malorney will be our new Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher and head of Gryffindor house. Professor Silton will be filling the post of Muggle Studies which is now compulsory to all students up to O.W.L and I am filling the position of headmaster and the 'mentor' for eighth years." Professor McGonagal was still stood at the great podium and continued to talk, "Rules are the same as always although Argus Filch would like to give the first years a full run through after dinner and he'd like to tell you all that there is still repair work being done near the dungeons. Now that is over with, the feast may begin."

Hastily she strode down and over to her seat in the headmasters chair in the centre of a long table of staff. Hagrid was towering above them all and particularly so above Professor Flitwick who still chose to sit near him for some reason Draco simply couldn't imagine.

The hall was brighter than ever and the ceiling had been restored to how it'd been before. Extra lanterns were hanging around and there was the usual assortment of charmed candles that were almost dancing. People began to talk again and there was an uplifting sound of careless banter from Draco's local housemates just as there always had been. It was the same as ever but for some reason Draco felt like something had changed. After a moment he realised that actually, it was him.

The food magically appeared and it seemed the house elves were feeling celebratory too if the spread they put on was anything to go by. There were roasted meats, vegetables, potatoes, stuffing, sausages and lavish helpings of thick gravy among other such desirable foods. Everybody dived at once and it was a shock that nobody was stabbed with forks in the process as hands grabbed for their favourite dishes. Some even slapped others away from what they'd claimed to be their food, it was total chaos. Consciously deciding not to get involved, Draco sat until the fuss had died down and near silence had fallen over them like a blanket where the only sound was chewing and cutlery.

He reached across and helped himself to a plate of all his favourite foods, and one bite made him remember just how good the Hogwarts food was.

A short time and a lot of food later the noise level had risen back to astronomical scale as people got more and more restless. People were standing and waiting around and people all seemed to want to know how to get back to their dorms right that moment.

"Malfoy, are you still-"

"No. I am no longer your Prefect." Draco cut him off, he'd been asked that one too many times now and he really wasn't feeling all too considerate towards the highly pitched boy's voice behind him.

"You want Gemma Farley, she's over there." Sally-Anne pointed in the direction of a crowd that had gathered around an exasperated looking Gemma.

Pansy snickered and muttered something under her breath which Draco didn't quite hear and the conversation went back to their new shared common room.

"Where are all the ghosts?" Blaise was looking around concerned.

"Who cares? It's much quieter without them." Pansy offered, looking totally uncaring.

"I just hope it's not all red and gold. Bloody Gryffindor's." Millie said distastefully.

"They can't put it in any house colours really, can they?" Tracey butted in over the top, "Not with all of us there."

"Yeah, but what about our dorms?" Pansy was still worrying about who she'd have to share with, " I don't think there's enough of us for our old rooms."

Everyone had different worries about living arrangements and they all thought theirs was more important. So when in a house like Slytherin this was leading it's natural course into a full blown argumentative row. This used to be a daily occurrence and people actually used to put bets on how long a certain pair could go without trying to one up each other. It wasn't that they didn't all love each other it was just that they were all too competitive to know better.

"Granger's waving us." Sally-Anne announced with an air of authority before she stood up gracefully and walked over to the exit where the rest of their year were already stood.

The rest of them got up and followed without question and in very much the same manner as they always had done. There was an unspoken agreement that they were to pretend like last year had never happened and apart from a fight between Pansy and Sally over getting them locked into the dungeons there had been no exceptions. Draco looked over at his two best friends who were casually flirting and sharing inside jokes that made him realise just how much he'd shut himself off when his parents had gone. He hadn't left the house for weeks and there was only so much time friends could spend at his house before they eventually left him to his own devices.

"Ouch!" Draco felt someone slam into him, hard. "You little fucker! Where do you thin-"

"Malfoy!" He heard someone shout his name and he spun around to see a very cross looking Geoffrey Hooper glaring at him violently, "You're the fucker, leave him alone!"

"Oh, and you're going to stop me? A little prat like you couldn't do anything if you tried." Draco was angry now, and had a barrage of insults ready to be slung at him and his family. He hadn't had a proper fight with anyone recently and he was sick of pretending he didn't care enough to get angry and send some hex's.

"Malfoy, Geoffrey. Shut up!" Harry Potter had said from just behind him.

Draco kept his face well trained into the same look of controlled disgust he'd been using on Hooper just seconds ago and flicked his eyes cooly up to meet Harry's. Harry's eyes were so green and Draco had to take a moment to fully appreciate their vibrancy. Giving Harry the look up and down he felt anger welling up inside him from his argument and just the fact Harry fucking Potter was so damn annoying!

"You can go and die again, Potter." He sneered, and spun on his heels to follow the now departing group of new classmates with Harry following him.

"-Was speaking to McGonagall earlier and she's said there are going to be four dorms, each sleeping six people. One boys dorm for Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw and one for Slytherin and Gryffindor, and the same for the girls." There was a rumble of excitement and disappointment as people learned who they'd be rooming with.

Draco felt his stomach turn. He was going to be sharing a room with the most annoying set of people he could have, he may even have preferred the Hufflepuff's. Suddenly remembering what had put him off about coming back here, Draco got the sudden urge to run for the nearest floo and never turn back. Hopefully there'll be one in the common room.

"Unity."

Ah, the nearest floo was getting closer. He looked over at the tapestry and saw that the dragon on it seemed to be getting ready to pounce on them, protecting its wall just as it always did. He remembered in third year when he, Greg and Vince had convinced a bunch of first years that it could actually breathe fire at them if they got too close and they'd only found otherwise when Justin Flinch-Fletchey had told them.

He stepped down the few steps which had appeared from the stone. There was no hatch or anything to show a trap door and he guessed that any unsuspecting passer by who happened to say "unity" as they walked over this plate of stone would find themselves sinking with the staircase into their new common room just as Granger had.

"This is gorgeous." Pansy said to him when they reached the bottom and began to look around eagerly.

It was minimalist. The walls, floors and ceilings were made entirely of stone with lusciously thick cream rugs under most of the room. The furniture was all in shades of beige, cream, gold and brown that sung harmoniously together in tasteful song. It all looked antique and aged but remarkably comfortable and inviting with cushions and throws scattered around. The room was plenty big enough for all of them and more to fit into and there was no doubt as to whether anyone liked it. Gasps came from every direction and as the last person stepped onto the floor the stairway behind them retreated back up into the ceiling. Warm, wall fitted lamps lit the room and there were two fireplaces at either side but what really drew your eyes was the huge window at the back, an entire wall of view out over the lake.

"Yeah, it's gorgeous alright." Blaise agreed.

He could vaguely hear someone trying to get attention behind him but he was far too busy taking in the delicate ornaments and plush seating and-

"Will you all be quiet?" Hermione Granger shouted very loudly, and they did. "Boy's dorms to the left, girls to the right. Apparently the order of these rooms will be obvious once you see them."

She stepped down off the stool she'd been using to gain some height and turned to talk to Harry and Ron who seemed very annoyed and obviously not reassured by whatever she was saying. He really had always hated the girl, even if he hadn't been told to hate her because of her blood he still would have, she was just one of those people who were so good that Draco couldn't stand it. She made him want to vomit. As for the weasel, he was enough to make anyone with any taste want to vomit.

"Alright, I'm going to go see our room. Meet me out here later?" Pansy asked, already walking backwards through the commotion to the right side of the common room.

"Yeah, we'll see you later." Draco answered casually.

There was a narrow corridor leading off towards the left which the boys were slowly filing down. Pushing into the queue, Blaise and Draco walked a short distance before they reached two doors, obviously the two dorms. One had a golden handle with a silver knocker, and the other a Black handle and bronze knocker.

"Please, no." Draco pleaded to himself.

Opening the door with the gold and silver he was attacked by a sudden mass of Gold and Red striking a vulgar balance with Silver and Green. (The point is that it looks bad, haha.)

Apparently, yes.

The beds were lush four posters with velvet curtains hanging from each one. Alternately the beds were different house colours with two in green and four in red. Brilliant. Just fucking brilliant.

"It looks like Christmas vomit." Blaise, as ever had a way with words that Draco couldn't help but admire.

"I think Christmas is more tasteful." Draco countered.

"Tanks, aye." Seamus Finnegan called from behind them to someone who was apparently in the bathroom before tuning on them both coldly, "We're movin' the beds so that yeh can cuddle in the night if yeh want."

"Bloody hell! Have you seen this bathroom?" Ron called from inside the toilet before poking his head around the door and assessing the little stand-off.

There was a moment of silence and the he said, "Where's Harry and Dean?"

"On their way, I guess." Seamus replied, "You the only Slytherin's?"

"No, there's four more of us on the way, that's why there's only two beds." Draco's voice was heavy with sarcasm.

"Oh and good luck moving the beds, even with magic. They're solid Mahogany." Blaise joined in, speaking like it was the most obvious thing in the world and everyone could tell wood just by looking at it. Draco honestly couldn't help but smile a little at the fact his friend was such an unbelievable snob. So was he, really.

"And?" Ron said from the door frame leading to the bathroom.

"Mahogany resists most forms of magic, and it's rather heavy." Draco spoke slowly and patronisingly as if he were explaining magical theory to a small muggle born. It really was fun to argue with those of lower intelligence.

Ron's eyes narrowed and he looked as if he was just about ready to jump on them there and then when the door once again swung open and a cheerful looking Dean Thomas half galloped in with Harry following closely behind. The good natured expression on Dean's face dropped when he saw Draco and Blaise stood there.

* * *

><p>The year group had gathered in their common room to elect their subjects for the next year. The timetables and option blocks they'd been given were admittedly complicated and there were only a few who actually understood what it meant. So naturally, Hermione had offered to help.<p>

"So, the there are four option blocks which means four subjects. You choose one from each option block and then you have to fill it in with the adjacent lesson periods on your timetable. For example-"

"We know, Granger. We don't all need you and your hair to help us think." Pansy said rather loudly and Harry blushed for her. Hermione and Pansy didn't get along at the best of times but after their argument over shower rights in their dorm, they were on seriously rough ground.

Hermione's eyes narrowed at the pleased looking smile on Pansy's face and she was damn near to exploding with rage. Pansy and Hermione had never exactly seen eye to eye and it seemed their new rooms were all a bit too much.

"Actually, if you choose your subjects and then still can't work the timetable out for yourselves, either I or Miss Parkinson can help you."

"When did I volunteer?"

"Well, you don't need me or my hair so I presumed it meant you knew what to do." Hermione said, exacting her revenge already.

"Doesn't mean I want to help."

"Well, it'd look bad if you didn't. Wouldn't it?" Hermione wasn't being mean at all, and that was the great part. She was making Pansy squirm without even an insult and Harry couldn't help but smile a little at the scene. This power play was showing the Slytherin's that they didn't _actually_ run the school.

"Fine, bitch."

"Fantastic, unless you struggle with it. In which case my hair can take over."

The common room was eerily silent and incredibly awkward as their little face off ended. Pansy looked a little puzzled as to whether that was infact an insult or not. Harry was trying really hard not to laugh now.

Looking down at his piece of parchment, Harry circled Potions, Divination, Astronomy and Defence Agaist The Dark Arts without much thought to the matter and began mapping out his own complicated timetable as he didn't want to bother Hermione.

He'd chosen his very favourite subjects and then Divination. Simply because there wasn't much else to take and he was very glad Firenze was back to teach.

Harry peered around to see what everybody else had chosen and deciding that almost everybody he really didn't want to be in a class with was selecting very similar options to his own and unfortunately the only class he, Ron and Hermione had all selected was Potions. He and Ron were both in Defence together but other than that they'd chosen totally different options.

It was going to be a long year.


	3. Chapter Three

**Disclaimer:**_ Disclaimer: Any recognisable characters, setting and scenarios are owned by the wonderful and amazing J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros and other suchlikes. I am making no money and am doing this for purely entertainment purposes, don't eat me. Also, many jokes in these belong to my humorous friends who will possibly eat me if I don't give them credit._

__**A/N:**_ Well, firstly a grovelling apology for taking so ridiculously long to complete this chapter. Exams appeared out of thin air, but I'm back to weekly or so now. A wonderfully lovely young lady, drarryrevolution, beta'd this chapter for me as I wanted this up really quickly and CrackleInTheDark is taking a break. I hope you enjoy this chapter and as always, reviews save house elves!_

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

Draco couldn't sleep. Well he could but every time he felt himself drift into sleep he felt something there. A malevolent presence which was angry at him for something Draco couldn't decode. As much as he'd tossed and turned, it was entering his mind at increasing stages of awareness. It terrified him. What was worse was that he had narrowed down who or what it was, Voldemort or his father. They were the only two people who could have affected him in such a way. He wasn't sure which one upset him more.

He looked up at the green coverings which hung over his bed gracelessly. At least the walls were grey, and not covered in some vulgar wallpaper that would no doubt look like children's wrapping paper to go with the beds. Draco just lay there for a very long time. There was two sets of snores from somewhere within the room, probably coming from the Gryffindors as he knew Blaise didn't snore. Everyone had gone to sleep early and so he'd been lying there for hours, drifting in and out of sleep.

He didn't particularly want to move but eventually he made the conscious decision to get up and wander into the common room to read a book. Treading quietly, moving as soundlessly as he could manage, Draco stealthily stepped out of his bed and towards the huge common room.

The lamps on the walls had been dimmed and the room gave off a feeling of warmth. It was like the representation of relaxation in a room and Draco found himself wanting to throw himself on a sofa straight away and fall asleep. However, he wasn't going to sleep in the common room. That would be ridiculous.

Walking across to the bookshelf he picked up a random book and made his way over to a fireplace. The fire was still roaring and Draco felt the heat straight away, which only served to increase his wishes to slump onto the furniture. Just as he was getting ready to sit down in the nearest armchair he heard someone clear their throat.

"That's a muggle story, you know." Harry Potter had been lounging on a sofa, just out of sight.

He was wearing light blue pajama bottoms and a slightly grubby white t-shirt and his hair looked as if it'd just been through a strong hurricane.

"This is a wizarding school, you know." Draco replied easily. The words were heavy with sarcasm and dismissal. Even if he had wanted to sit and talk he certainly didn't want to do so with Harry.

Draco looked down at the cover. It was an old hardback with well thumbed and yellowing pages, the cover a deep green and the writing on it was plain black.

"It's a love story, about overcoming differences in families and class." Harry informed him and when Draco turned his head a little to the side to raise an eyebrow he was smiling playfully.

"Great, it's bullshit then." Draco sighed and rolled his eyes before setting it down on the arm of his chair, "However, I'd rather read it than talk to you so be quiet."

Harry looked hurt, so Draco turned around again so that he was sideways on between the fire and Harry once again. Thank Merlin, he'd shut up. Draco really wasn't in the mood to have people talking at him right then, he'd found himself becoming less and less sociable recently. Right now, his head hurt and he was feeling a little less than sunny so Harry's wit was really something he couldn't appreciate just at that moment.

Just to prove a point, Draco opened the book up to the first page of prose and began to read. He had picked up the book completely at random and so had no interest whatsoever in the story line. He found the words irreparably dull and he struggled to fix himself on actually reading it this late at night.

"So, couldn't sleep?" He heard Harry ask, sugar sweet and conversationally.

Slamming his book shut and turning slightly to face Harry, he threw the boy a look of annoyance.

"No. I couldn't." Draco snapped.

"Me neither, just another thing we have in common." Harry seemed to he half talking to Draco and half to the ceiling he was now so closely scrutinising.

"Another? I certainly can't see anything we have in common, Potter."

"I'm only making conversation." He dismissed, "And anyway I'll bet we have tonnes of things in common. We're both wizards."

"So is everyone at the school. Or haven't you figured that out yet?"

"Okay, so…" Harry tried again, "We both had shit father figures, didn't we?"

Draco bristled at the words. He could hate his father, but there was no way it was Harry's place to say anything about him. It was his father after all. However much Draco didn't like the man, it was certainly not Harry's place to comment. Harry was still lounging on the sofa when Draco hauled himself up off his seat in anger. The boy didn't seem to notice, so Draco stormed over to where he was lying.

Standing up and towering over Harry, he fought the urge to spit at him.

"You arrogant bastard. You never say anything against my family again."

Harry looked a little scared for a moment, but soon regained his composure and sat himself up. Looking Draco directly in the eye, he shrugged. The anger rolled through Draco like a wave, and he remembered why he'd always hated this boy. They always had known what to say and do to make the other shake with fury.

"Sorry. Not your family, though. Just your father." The response made Draco want to scream.

"You are an absolute prick." Draco spat. He was nearly shaking with resentment, but he forced himself to keep his voice steady and his exterior calm as ever.

Harry stood up so that he and Draco were nose to nose, and they both stood, staring at one another for a moment. Draco's face was twisted into one of disgust at his personal space being so invaded.

"I'm going to bed." Harry stated calmly, and slid out of the common room quietly.

Now Draco was left alone just as he'd originally wanted, but he was fuming. Looking back, he realised that if anyone else had've said that he may have laughed it off. Likely, with nothing more than a warning to back off and then an admission that they were probably right. Harry had always had an effect on him in ways that other's hadn't. Just one refused handshake lead to years of animosity and taunting that lasted to this very day.

Draco found himself sitting and rerunning the conversation they'd had before returning his book, which he hadn't even glanced at and going to his dorm only a few hours before he was due to get up.

* * *

><p>Harry woke up on Monday morning sweating and breathing heavily. For the first time in months, his scar twinged a little. He lay awake under his covers until he saw Dean get up and heard the shower turn on, thinking of what his scar could possibly mean. Voldemort was dead, gone, completely obliterated. Wasn't he? He was definitely dead, but whether he was truly gone… He'd come back before.<p>

Moving sluggishly, Harry rolled out of bed and shuffled across to the door of the bathroom they now all shared.

"Hurry up." Harry called over the noise of the running water as people began to stir. There was another hour left until breakfast but he really needed to pee.

Not really wanting to stand at the bathroom door with his legs crossed like a child, he went to wake up Ron.

As usual on a morning, Ron had slept through everything soundly. He was still snoring heavily as Harry shook him near violently.

"Ron!"

"Mumph" There was a vague mumble and the snoring stopped, however Ron lay there very still, and very asleep.

Harry sighed heavily and continued to shake him, feeling as though it was back to the old routine of wasting his morning trying to get Ron up.

Blaise and Dean were now having a full blown row at the bathroom door, Dean saying that Harry got bathroom rights first and Blaise arguing with him about how that was total bullshit. It was all a little surreal.

"I'll get 'im up if yeh'll get them teh shut up." Seamus looked exhausted and was only just emerging from his own bed but Harry gladly took the offer.

He walked across to the door where the confrontation was happening and he thought that maybe if they shouted a little louder McGonagall would come and sort it out. Dean was in a towel, stood blocking the doorway and Blaise was trying to push past him gainlessly. It was quite a scene to behold and they both argued, obviously matching each other with insults. If they weren't being quite so loud and it wasn't quite so early, Harry could have laughed at them.

"My turn." Harry strode past Dean, who moved out of the way for him and stepped into the shared bedroom, "I'll be quick, promise."

Blaise was still ranting and raving when the year group gathered in the common room and made their way to breakfast together.

There was the usual vast array of wholesome food at each table, and as usual the Gryffindor table felt light hearted and banterous. Hermione was sat next to Ron and glaring at him for having just told her she was an idiot for taking Arithmancy.

"Arithmancy is a fascinating subject, far more desirable than Defense. Anyone who looks to employ either of you will know you're great at that just from your names. You don't need qualifications." Hermione stated to them simply.

"We don't need them anyway, Kingsley is letting anyone who fought in the battle go into Auror training without NEWTs. That's where Neville is." Harry butted in, "But you still made us come."

"I never forced you, I just persuaded." Hermione smiled at them both mischievously, she was a little too smart for her own good, "Eat up Ronald. You'll need the energy."

He let them settle into their bickering and began to drift off again, thinking about his strange dream and the way his scar had stung ever so slightly. It was nothing like before, nowhere near as bad. But it was still there. He told himself that it was nothing, and just to prove it he'd tell Hermione about it later. She'd say he was imagining it. Yes, that's what will happen. He's just over-reacting.

"C'man Harry!" Seamus snapped his fingers in front of Harry's blank face.

The group of friends had stood together and begun to walk out of the hall while Harry had been mechanically eating, his mind racing with every possibility.

Standing up and walking towards them briskly, Harry's mind was still spinning, thinking about scars and horcruxes and Voldemort. The hall was as loud and cheery as it ever had been as people began to shuffle towards their lessons, most were still sharing their holiday stories with their friends.

"Potions first, mate." Ron said cheerfully while walking hand in hand with Hermione and pulling back so they blocked almost the entire corridor. They were all side by side now, and the potions room was found by the end of a particularly narrow corridor. Continuing along, they slowly meandered their way to the next lesson.

When they arrived, Professor Slughorn greeted Harry like a long-lost best friend; grasping him in a tight hug and bombarding Harry with ridiculous questions about his summer and how he was coping. Slughorn had barely noticed that the rest of the class had turned up, and people were standing around, casually making fun with one another as some were finding seats. When Slughorn finally did tear his attention from Harry, he seemed to have different ideas about seating arrangements.

"Everyone stand at the back of the room, I'll sort you out." Slughorn had called to them all, in his usual slightly dreamy voice.

Everyone shuffled around and stood a little awkwardly, ready to be seated in pairs. Some people were still whispering to one another and laughing silently.

"I've matched you with people of similar abilities, so you can help each other." Harry saw Blaise and Draco smile smugly at one another out of the corner of his eye.

Slughorn got half the class done in no time. Ron didn't complain one bit when he was sat next to Justin, but smiled appologetically at Harry. Hermione huffed and puffed a little when she was seated next to Blaise, but when he said something that had apparently made her laugh she seemingly forgave him. Ron looked highly envious at this, and Harry sympathised. Blaise was charismatic and good looking, he'd felt exactly the same when there was even the slightest possibility that he'd liked Ginny. Now, he couldn't make himself care that much if he had've liked Ginny. He also knew now that Blaise probably wouldn't touch Ginny with a barge pole; funny how things flip round like that.

"Finally, Anthony and Millie sit here. Harry and Draco, at the front next to my desk, please."

There was a moment of awkward silence when everyone in the room seemed to hold their breath. But then, one person from the corner of the room let out a large and exaggerated snigger. Draco turned around, his face completely unamused and a little angry.

"Hilarious, Blaise." After, Draco turned to adress a slightly confused looking Professor Slughorn, "You've made a mistake."

"I don't think so, you were both my top students last year!"

"But that was only becau-"

"Nonsense, Harry. Sit down, both of you!"

For the remainder of the lesson, neither spoke a word to the other or so much as dared to look each other in the eyes. There was palpable tension in the air between them as they wrote up notes about the properties of Dried Billywig Stings.

* * *

><p>It was the end of the day, and Draco was getting really sick of Blaise's taunting.<p>

"If you don't wipe that smirk off your face, I'll fucking kill you." Draco snarled at his friend, who was leaning against the door frame and waiting for him to leave Astronomy.

He'd been taunting Draco all day, every spare minute he'd had was spent making sure he knew exactly what he thought of Draco's new Potions partner. Blaise had come to the conclusion that because of this, Draco and Harry were going to become lovers. Obviously.

"You know, I think it's cute." Blaise grinned at him mischievously, "Hey, Potter! Have you done your Potions essay yet?"

Harry looked over from where he'd been walking away. He'd obviously caught onto Blaise's teasing, and raised his eyebrows above a tired face so that he looked like an old man staring down a badly behaving child.

"No, Blaise." Harry simply said, and walked off in the direction he had been headed.

Blaise looked a little taken aback, as he'd obviously wanted Harry to take the bait so he could use it as leverage. He threw off the expression and turned to Draco quickly. Draco's brows were still furrowed slightly and he was watching people disperse from his classroom, wondering where Pansy was. When Draco looked back up at Blaise, the overly tall boy was smirking at him. Blaise had always towered over Draco, and Draco was tall by everyone's standards.

"You should help him with it."

"If I didn't hate him, I would." Draco retorted. Sadly, this didn't seem to appease Blaise, who just grinned at him. Draco gave a threatening look.

"Sorry, it's just…" And the he burst out laughing again while Draco had a hard time not rolling his eyes.

"What's so funny, Blaise?" Draco had absolutely never been so relieved to hear that girl's voice. Never. Not even once in his life.

"Just… Just that…" Blaise was struggling to string a sentence together in between barking laughter, "Just that Draco and Potter…"

"Still? Really Blaise, I know Potter used to stalk him but-"

"Not you too?" Draco half pleaded with his best friends.

Pansy pulled an apologetic face and shrugged. They didn't look very sorry, though. Their trio were stood in the alcove at the top of the stairs and it seems as if everyone had already fled downstairs to their common rooms.

"It's just funny that as soon as you came out, he became obsessed with you." Blaise said, he seemed to have calmed down now and was leaning back against a nearby wall.

"Yeah, and you have all these crazy standoff moments." Pansy was joining in too, "You've always had feelings for him."

"What? How does us fighting mean that?"

"Not necessarily good feelings, but feelings nonetheless." Pansy added. She bit her lip to fight back a smile and Blaise laughed to himself. Right in that moment, Draco finally felt like it was all back to normal, their infuriating friendship as it had always been. The relief to feel normal again, even for a moment overwhelmed him.

The last year had been hard on all of them. When Blaise's mother had taken the mark to please her latest husband, his life had fallen apart, Pansy's parents had been involved too and now the three may as well be orphans. It's not that their parents were dead, but they were either in Azkaban and soulless or about to be sent there. Draco had found that sharing all of this had only bought them closer, and right then he was very glad about it.

There was a moment of silence and then both of his friends were laughing. It was infectious and before he could stop himself and remember that he was supposed to be resentful, Draco was laughing too.

That evening, they spent hours walking around the grounds. They ate their dinner hurriedly and went to sit out by the lake, taunting the giant squid by throwing rocks into the water every so often. They laughed as it raged about, trying to find whatever it was that had broken the peaceful water into ripples. Draco laughed along with their jokes as he smoked his cigarette, and they all nearly cried themselves to tears at Blaise's impressions of their least favourite teachers. It wasn't the same, there were still moments when he felt alone, but he felt better.

Draco had always felt better around his friends, and even with their merciless teasing they still had that effect on him.

"They were actually going to attempt to move mahogany!" Blaise cracked, as the punchline to his joke. Draco snickered and shared a knowing look with his friend but Pansy just looked a little confused.

"Well, they'd use magic. Wouldn't they?" Pansy's brow had furrowed.

Blaise looked at her. On anyone else Draco would have thought this look was a joke, but this was Blaise. His features drifted between disbelief, horror and irritation. Draco loved his best friend, but he really was pretentious.

"Pansy, I can't believe this. Were you adopted?" Blaise asked, his face still flittering between emotions and staring Pansy straight in the eyes. Her face contorted into an expression of utter shock as her mouth fell open wide and the space between her eyebrows furrowed. She looked absolutely, completely horrified. Blaise seemed to backtrack, not quite shocked enough at her oversight to risk an angry Pansy. Now, Draco was having to try very hard indeed to bite back a grin at his friends.

"I mean, it's just. You can't spell mahogany, Pansy. Everyone knows that." Blaise and Pansy seemed to be having an unheard row as they glared and Draco watched, highly amused.

"Oi, who's there?" They heard a deep voice call, "Filch'll 'ave yeh for this, if yer outside at this time"

Hagrid.

"Shit." Draco swore under his breath and cast a disillusionment charm over them all as they snuck back into the castle in the pitch black. Bumping into each other, whispering curses at each other and sucking in laughter, it was a wonder they weren't caught before they got back to the common room.

* * *

><p>Harry was starting to get sick of the living arrangements already by the next morning. The pattern of fighting over the bathroom and struggling to wake up Ron after very little sleep was already developing. It didn't help that the night before when Draco and Blaise had thundered in like a herd of elephants, they'd woken up the whole dorm. There had been shouting and insults thrown in every direction. It wasn't a pleasant thing to deal with a raging house-war at ridiculous hours in the morning, though Harry was a little comforted to know that Hermione had dealt with a similar thing with Pansy.<p>

Draco looked particularly irritable that morning, and Harry was finding it hard not to taunt him. It was a natural routine that they had seemed to fall back into, they taunted, they fought and they hated. It was all so very simple, and it was staying the exact same. Harry decided that would make it a positive thing for both of them, and so it was actually okay to tease his new room mate. Although his principles were sound, even he doubted it was actually kind to start arguing with him.

"C'mon Ferret, get a move on." Harry called as he caught up with Draco, who was walking on his own while his friends walked a little ahead.

"So sorry, Potter. I didn't know you had enough brains to walk that fast." Was his infuriatingly well thought out reply. He always had been quicker witted than Harry.

There was a squeal from behind him and Harry turned to see his two best friends having a little disagreement. It seemed that Hermione had been banging on about S.P.E.W and Ron had decided she deserved to be tickled for it. She was squealing and trying to get away and as Harry walked backwards to watch it all unfold, he felt a pang in his chest for his friends. They had always been there for him and to him, they were the closest thing he had to family. Seamus and Dean were cheering Ron on and Susan Bones was looking a little concerned at the situation from over Dean's shoulder. Hermione was kicking up quite a fuss but Ron just held her easily by the waist. People were laughing and joking, Harry couldn't help but grin. There really wasn't anything quite like being at Hogwarts.

Harry felt the wind leave his chest momentarily as he walked backwards into something solid. When he turned around there was a very angry looking Draco Malfoy. The fun behind Harry stopped dead and the whole group seemed to freeze, watching the scene unfold.

"Watch it, Potter." Draco half spat the last words down at Harry as he spun around on his heel and walked away. For some reason, Harry felt a thrill rush through him for getting a rise out of his old enemy. They weren't enemies anymore, not really. Not in Harry's mind, but it was far easier to carry on this way than to sit down and sort out their differences. And as Hermione had pointed out on many occasions, they'd probably end up being friends or something.

Harry stood there and glared at Malfoy as he walked away, and the rest of his friends sprung back to life. Hermione and Ron waited either side of him and seemed to forget about their scuffle.

In potions they were making Dreamless Sleep, a potion that Harry had taken on more than one occasion. He was shocked at just how complicated it was, and he wished he still had Snape's old book. As wonderful as it was to have a partner who did anything for you, it wasn't so great when they only did it so they could throw insults at you. Their arguing slowly turned into bickering after a while, and there was less venom behind it.

With only a few minutes to go, Harry decided to make an effort. He was going to try to make conversation with his favourite enemy of all time.

"So, how's your mum?" Harry asked, casually. From his point of view, he'd stood up for her at her trials and so she was happy as anything and living at the manor. His point of view was wrong.

Draco stiffened suddenly, and he looked as if he came very close to breaking the phial of Flobberworm Mucus. He turned slowly and menacingly to face Harry, his entire expression one of suppressed rage and sadness. It was hidden well, but it was a feeling Harry knew only too well.

"I don't know. Ask the dementors you f-"

"How is this potion doing, dear boys?" Slughorn interrupted them.

"Fine." Both of them chorused, but he eyed them suspiciously before he moved away. Professor Slughorn was not convinced.

Harry felt a wave of guilt, he really didn't have a clue. He'd thought he'd said enough to have Narcissa cleared of all charges, but obviously not. And now he'd said that it sounded as if he were being purposefully spiteful. Fantastic.

"What is it with you and insulting people's families?" Draco asked spitefully. He was masking it so well, but Harry could imagine how he felt.

"Listen, I'm really sorry. I never realised… I thought I'd said enough that she'd be cleared." Harry started to appologise, his gut was wrenching at the thought of what had happened to Draco. It wasn't something he'd wish for anyone, "I made statements in her defence, she's the only person I did. I did all I could-"

"Yeah, well it wasn't enough." Draco had resigned himself now, and was concentrating hard on his potion.

It was probably easier for Harry to deal with if he'd have shouted and screamed at him. That'd be normal. The Draco that Harry thought he knew was mean, heartless and would have just flung merciless comments at him. But this was something else, Draco seemed to be masking hurt. There were only a few times Harry had ever seen Draco look vulnerable, and he had to admit that he preferred him like this. He shouldn't, but it was almost pleasant to be with each other when they weren't slinging insults like cannon balls. Harry suddenly felt awful for thinking this.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't know, I swear. I'd never wish that upon her, she quite possibly saved my life. She was Siriu-"

"Alright, Potter." Draco snapped at him spontaneously, "Just pass me the Lavender and don't touch the fucking potion…"

"Right, sorry."

Harry decided that it'd be best not to speak again.

When the very silent last few minutes of the lesson were over, Draco pushed past Harry, knocking him half off his feet. He charged past and went to stand by Blaise as he gathered up his belongings to leave. Hermione looked over at Harry from her desk and raised her brows questioningly. Her expression made her look like a concerned teacher, and it had always made Harry a little wary.

He really didn't feel like reliving the awkward half of the lesson, so he just shook his head dismissively while mouthing the word nothing. He still felt terrible for what he'd said, but he couldn't help enjoying the peace and quiet during his least favourite lesson.

During DADA, Ron and himself were the only two who could actually manage to cast Confringo without totally missing their target. Each person had a stuffed animal of sorts, and they were attempting to set it alight. Curses were hitting the walls, which Malorney had thankfully shielded for the lesson. Ron and Harry had already incinerated at least twenty stuffed animals by the time Professor Malorney came over. They each were awarded 10 points for their house, though she muttered a bit as to whether they were even in their house anymore.

"Because you have your own common room, don't you? And Professor McGonagall…"

They were sent around the room to help out various people who kept getting dangerously close to making their classmates explode. It was a dull task, and Harry let his mind wander a little as he corrected people's casting.

Everything seemed different now, Hogwarts and the people. When he looked around the room he saw Slytherins, Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors laughing together. Not all of them, most people still stuck to the old rivalries but it seemed that people were far more willing to accept each other now. The feeling in the room was of general light hearted concentration, and it was infectious. Harry found himself laughing along at some people's wild attempts as they struggled with it themselves. By around half way through the lesson, a fair amount of people had mastered the spell and were set to work clearing up the ashes they'd all produced.

At the end of the lesson they'd not only performed the spell and written 7 inches about it, but learned the counter curse and had homework to practice it.

The day was beginning to very much drag on.

* * *

><p>By the time Draco got into Divination, he felt a little bit less like he wanted to stab Harry. Only a little.<p>

The worst part was, people had been insensitive and insulting about his parents all the time and he hadn't cared once. Until Harry said it. It had bothered Draco that the boy held such a power over him, but eventually he put it down to them being enemies. When he'd complained to Blaise, who struggled with emotions at the best of times, there was no helpful feedback. Pansy had just rolled her eyes and told him to forget about it, Harry was being nice afterall.

As Draco sat in the stuffy room where Firenze was talking about different methods to predict your own future emotions, he thought absently to himself. He came to the conclusion that it was the fact Harry was trying to be nice, that had been the most unsettling thing. They'd never even uttered any forms of apology in the seven years they'd known one another, and it was strange to hear such a sincere one come from the boy.

"Come on then boys, get going." Firenze spoke to them kindly, as he always did. Draco was glad he had come back to teach, as passing NEWTs with Trelawney teaching would have been a step below impossible. They'd been set the task of finding out what they'd be feeling in a year. He and Blaise set about finding relevant stars on their charts and plotting against where they'd be in a years time to come up with a symbol. Apparently, that should match with one of the ones they'd been given in their book. Even looking at every angle, they struggled to find one to match Draco's. As for Blaise, depending on your angle he could be angry, excited or depressed. Firenze came over and told Blaise that he'd be excited, because you always look at the chart with the north star at the top.

"I still can't see what yours would be." Blaise said. They were both rushing now, so they could get their work done and reduce any load of homework.

"I don't know, maybe I did plot it wrong." Draco countered.

"No, we've checked it so many times." At this, Blaise harumphed and rested his head on his hand, "Maybe it's an unusual symbol?"

"Yeah, probably means he'll feel like a ferret." Draco heard a deep voice call from behind them. Only just suppressing the urge to wrestle the boy to the floor, Draco turned around to glare at him. Ronald Weasley was stood, looking miraculously pleased with himself while Seamus sniggered behind him.

"Still using that one? Come up with some new material, it's getting a little dull."

When he couldn't come up with anything in reply to Draco's stab, Ron walked off in a huff to his table with Harry.

Draco raised his hand and called over the centaur, who managed to knock over a vase on a table with his tail. Sometimes, this school was like a very bad comedy show.

"Yes?"

"I can't quite figure out my symbol, sir."

Firenze leaned over and looked at the piece of paper with scrutiny. He narrowed his eyes and seemed to spend minutes pondering it. The professor towered over everyone other than Hagrid, and when Draco was sat down it only made the effect more pronounced. Actually, it was a little daunting.

"Hmm… I think this is actually two symbols in one. See, you have the symbol for love there, and the one for hate at the same time. Strange, very strange…"

Draco was totally thrown off by this, "What do you mean, strange?"

"Oh, nothing. It's not that uncommon, but to happen twice in one lesson and with the same symbol suggests…"

Blaise and Draco both looked up at him expectantly.

"Never mind. There is such a thing as knowing too much."

And with that, the teacher half trotted off to help another student. Draco and Blaise shared incredulous looks and speechlessly agreed to just start writing their essays. Nine inches isn't normally too long for Draco, but for divination he'd always struggled with being interested enough and having enough information to get an inch. Draco went to set off working but he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. There was something there, but he couldn't see it. But then he thought, how did he know it was there is he couldn't see it? It was more of a feeling than sight and it was just about making Draco's skin crawl. He wasn't sure if he imagined it, but he could of sworn he saw Harry rub his forehead. Scanning the room, he double checked that there wasn't anything actually there, and reassured himself that he wasn't going insane before he got back to work.

The rest of the week passed slowly for Draco. His friends still found it hilarious that Harry and himself were not only paired in potions, but that they'd managed to patch over the argument by pretending it didn't happen. If it was possible, the joke had got even more tiresome by Friday. Draco had found that Arithamncy, in which he sat between Blaise and Pansy was becoming his very least favourite subject. It wasn't to joke, not really. It was the fact that Pansy and Blaise were the two sharing it that bothered him, because they'd always been the better friends. Even though he loved them and they were the best friends he'd had, Draco couldn't help but feel a little like a third wheel.

On Thursday they'd been told they could go to Hogsmeade any weekend they wanted, as one of their eighth year advantages. As soon as Professor McGonagall had told them all, there had been excited murmurs and whispers of plans. Draco supposed that the preposition of free weekends could halfway make up for not being allowed on their house teams.

Blaise, Terry Boot and himself had done some flying over the week. It seemed as if now they wouldn't have to play against Ravenclaw and they weren't on opposite sides of a war, Draco and Terry got along quite well. On Friday they even managed to impose on a Hufflepuff practice and catch the snitch, making them question their seeker's skills. They'd laughed for hours about the expression on the face of their captain's face, when Draco flew up and placed the snitch in her hand and winked playfully. Apparently it was hard to tell if she was frustrated, or just flustered from his almost flirting.

Draco had tried keeping himself busy with homework and his friends. However, when there was nothing to do, Draco found himself sulking around. He read a book about unicorns, watched the flames in the fire and let his mind mill over the world and the meaning of life. All in all, he managed to think for long enough to depress himself to a point which only getting very tipsy with his friends was going to fix. Apparently, most of the year group had organised the same thing so when they turned up to the Three Broomsticks they weren't shocked to see a very full pub.

The atmosphere was incredibly loud and riotous as they stepped in. There were people on every chair at every table and there were people who had perched themselves on tables. Everyone had Butterbeers or Firewhiskey shots and were talking loudly. In the back corner was a group of about 20 very familiar faces, not quite as loud as the rest of the boisterous crowd but not far off. A few heads turned and watched the trio enter the room, but Pansy and Blaise didn't seem to notice at all so Draco ignored the unashamed stares from various places in the room.


	4. Chapter Four

**_**Disclaimer:**_**_ Disclaimer: Any recognisable characters, setting and scenarios are owned by the wonderful and amazing J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros and other suchlikes. I am making no money__ and am doing this for purely entertainment purposes, don't eat me. Also, many jokes in these belong to my humorous friends who will possibly eat me if I don't give them credit._

_**A/N**: I grovel like a house elf and beg you on my hands an knees to forgive me for taking so stupidly long to get this done! Like, seriously Laura what have you been doing? Well, I've had exams and have been snowed under with work. It's not really a very good excuse but it's all I've got. This chapter hasn't had my usual beta again. I miss her, and she is still lost to the wilderness somewhere as I sit hoping she's alright. Any mistakes you may find are probably mine so please don't hesitate to tell me. The next chapter is half done already so I promise not to keep you waiting too long! _I give a sock to a house elf for every single review!__

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><p>The Three Broomsticks was very nearly at full capacity, but at the night wore on it gradually emptied to allow breathing room. Ron and Hermione were sat very close together and were whispering something to one another. Hermione was fairly tipsy, and so she was giggling like she was eleven.<p>

"I'm going to go get a drink guys, want one?" Harry asked, mainly out of politeness. He felt like he needed some air. They'd claimed a bench to themselves but the room was hot and stuffy, which was unusual for this time of year and considering the weather outside.

"Actually, I think I'd better not." Hermione turned and said to him seriously. She may be giggley, but she certainly wasn't stupid, "I'll just- RONALD!"

Harry wasn't quite sure what had gone on, and a part of his mind told him he didn't want to know but Ron just grinned at him playfully.

"G'won then. One more Butterbeer?"

"Yeah. I'll pay." Harry said and went to get up out of his chair, un-creasing his jeans as he did so.

"Thanks mate!" Calling up to him, Ron was putting a pile of empty glasses which belonged to various people in the corner of the table. Presumably there was a spell which automatically cleared the glasses to the kitchen, but even that seemed too tired, not to mention the staff.

When Harry approached the bar, every stool was full of people he'd never met. The Hogwarts students had taken a large chunk of the room and so most of the other people were cramped up around the bar. The only person Harry recognised around that area was a shock of blonde hair sat right at the end of the bar on it's own. For a while, Harry stood and debated whether it was better to stand between strangers or Draco and after a while he thought it was probably better to go with a stranger. Less dangerous.

"Harry!"

On instinct Harry spun round and put his hand to his wand. It hadn't been long since he'd had to stay on edge at all times and it was a hard routine to get out of.

There was a murmur of laughs from the table where Seamus was sat with many of his friends.

"Whooa! Was only wantin' a butterbeer, you eejit." Seamus laughed and rolled his eyes, before chucking him a galleon which Harry caught easily between his thumb and forefinger.

"One for me too!" Dean called as Harry began to walk away.

Rolling his eyes, Harry made his way to the bar and despite his earlier inner monologue he found himself stood to the left of Draco anyway. He edged his way to the bar and stood a little behind him.

Just then, Harry actually realised that Draco was sat here all on his own. How did he miss that? He'd been watching Draco, Blaise and Pansy all night. Pansy and Blaise had seemed totally at ease, if not in their element while Draco had looked like an outsider. He'd looked like Harry felt and so Harry had sat observed him for hours. That was why he had watched him, he assured himself, the only reason why.

Draco looked smart, in a shirt and tight jeans, but his hair was a little ruffled and he almost had a bit of a pink tinge to his cheeks. Probably from the alcohol, as Harry had seen him have a good amount and variety of drinks so far.

"What?" Draco asked petulantly.

"Oh, erm… I'm just ordering." Harry replied, stumbling over his words. He wasn't sure how Draco had known he was there and it was a little disconcerting. It made him wonder whether Draco had known he was watching him nearly all night.

"Order, then."

Harry waved over the young girl who was behind the bar. She looked thoroughly harassed and turned to tell him to wait his turn but when she caught his eyes, she looked like she was about to faint.

"I, erm. Hello! I'm sandy. I- I- I- Thank you. You're perfect and I- Erm…" She was babbling and she looked like about to start squealing or something ridiculous.

"Sandy! Just serve the man!" There was a deep bellow from behind her which brought her back to earth. She seemed to ground herself, although Harry could see her hand shaking as it held the notepad and pen.

"Yes. Sir, what can I-? What can I get you?" Sandy kept tripping over her words and she looked a little awe struck.

"Four butterbeers, if you don't mind." Harry asked, very politely as always. He'd always been polite, side effect of living as a near slave of the Dursleys he supposed.

"Of course I don't mind! Right away!" The excitable girl practically screamed at him.

Harry heard Draco snicker and saw his head shake lightly. He was resting on the bar with both elbows so that his shirt was pulled tight and you could see his spine. Trying very hard not to made a rude comment, Harry rolled his eyes and settled down to wait.

"So, why all alone?"

"Oh, Potter. So nice that you care." Draco bit back sarcastically. He took another swig of his drink and it was very nearly finished.

"Excuse me?" Harry called over, and the waitress spun around once more and very nearly ran over to him, "Another, please?"

"Yes, of course!" She very nearly screamed once again and practically skipped away to the back of the bar to continue filling out orders.

"So, why're you alone?" Harry asked again. He wasn't being mean, as Draco probably presumed. Not at all, in fact he was curious. To him their friendship group had always seemed so close, maybe not in the same way as his friends but still just as close.

"Why should I tell you?" Draco retorted, still facing the opposite direction to Harry.

"Because I just bought you a drink." Harry replied. This was becoming their usual now, full of sarcasm and sparing no kind words but lacking any real venom. When Draco wasn't being purposefully hurtful towards him, Harry found his sarcasm funny. He smiled a lopsided smile at the back of the boy's head.

"Oh, for fucks sake. Pansy and Blaise are having one of their couple moments, they haven't noticed I'm gone yet." Draco replied, he sounded a little resentful but Harry couldn't tell whether that resentment was aimed at him or his friends.

"Oh. You do like butterbeer, right?" Harry asked, suddenly aware that he'd never once seen Draco drink anything other than firewhiskey and coctails when it came to alcohol.

"I've never had it. It's not exactly a classy drink." Draco's voice was haughty and proper. It seemed as if even the firewhiskey had little effect on his verbal abilities, unlike Harry who was slurring a little.

"It tastes good though." Harry assured him.

The person who had been sat to Draco's right stood up and left, so Harry took the opportunity to sit down.

He carefully smoothed out his jeans and tee shirt, feeling ridiculously scruffy next to Draco who looked immaculate.

"So, why are you alone?" Draco asked.

"Buying drinks." Harry replied simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Really, because I'd have never guessed." Sarcasm was driping with every word and contrary to normal, Harry found it rather funny. Harry chuckled softly but when he did Draco turned to look at him with a confused look on his face, as if he'd just spoken Elfish. Perhaps not, Draco was the kind of person Harry could imagine learning to speak Elfish. Troll, then.

"Did you just laugh at me?" Draco was totally incredulous and a little shocked.

"No, I'm er… Laughing with you."

"Oh, Potter. You managed to completely misunderstand that question." Draco turned back to lean over his empty glass again and Harry noticed that his tone wasn't scorning at all. It was almost like he was talking to a slightly stupid friend.

For a long time he just stared at Draco, trying to figure him out. Harry realised right about then, that he didn't really care for being enemies with anyone anymore. And Draco would be a good start on his list of make-rights.

"Hey Draco?"

"It's Malfoy."

Harry very nearly rolled his eyes. "Seriously?" Draco nodded. "Right then. Malfoy, can I say something to you?"

"You've been saying things to me for a while now, why do you feel the sudden urge to ask?" Draco drawled at him. "Yes, you may."

Summoning up all of his Gryffindor courage, or possibly stupidity, Harry rushed the words out like a whirlwind of letters.

"I'mreallysorry."

Draco looked up at him then, caught his eyes and span round on the old bar stool. Looking at him carefully, Draco seemed to scrutinise every inch of Harry, which made Harry feel intensely uncomfortable. Eventually, (and to Harry's relief) the blonde haired man seemed to find whatever he was looking for as he went back to hunching over his drink.

"What for?" He asked, and from what little Harry could see his expression was pained, "You're the hero."

Harry thought about it. He was sorry for a lot, actually.

"I'm sorry I judged you. I'm sorry I very nearly killed you. I'm sorry I never thought that you weren't just evil. I'm sorry your parents aren't with you because of me. I'm sorry for everything I've said and I'm sorry for never giving you a chance."

Draco sat there for a long while, presumably thinking over what Harry had just said.

"I'm sorry too. For everything. Apart from calling you stupid, because you are." Draco said, clearly trying his very best to offend him in order to change the subject.

"It's okay. I don't want enemies anymore, you know?" Harry asked, having none of the conversation changing.

He felt like they'd just taken a massive step, a leap in fact. Right at that moment, Harry felt like he could really start to get along with Draco now. Although, he wasn't really Draco anymore. Everyone had noticed the difference in him, Draco was sated and a lot less pompous than before. If Harry didn't know better, he'd have thought Draco may have actually grown up a little.

"I've never wanted Enemies, Potter." Draco replied easily.

"You hid that well." Trying to lighten the mood into the banterous teasing they'd settled into, Harry found himself wanting to kick himself for that comment.

"My family, he had my family. You know what he was like. Of course I didn't want enemies, you fucking idiot." Draco very nearly spat at him.

"I know… I was just you know, joking." Harry said.

He looked over to smile at Draco apologetically, but the man was still staring fixedly at his drink.

"Jokes are supposed to be funny. You realise that?" Draco looked up now, finally.

Harry saw his grey eyes for what felt like the first time, they were sparkling and open. Totally filled with every thought Draco was having and Harry felt himself being pulled in by them almost hypnotically.

"Yeah. So-"

"Here's your um… Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to interrupt!" The waitress nearly wailed at Harry in apology.

"No, it's fine." Harry said, fishing out some of his galleons and sliding them across the table to her, "Keep the change."

Draco kept himself fixed on his drink, even as Harry handed him another and took the other four from the waitress who was telling him just how good and kind he was.

"Thanks." Harry heard Draco say, as he started to walk back to his table.

"You're very welcome, Draco." Harry replied, retesting the use of first names.

"It's still Malfoy."

This time though, when he said it he turned round and flashed a dashing smile at Harry. Taking extra care not to drop any of the glasses, Harry tried to return the smile but failed and found himself dazedly traipsing back to his seat

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><p>Draco was spinning, but totally still. He felt like his ears were going to burst from silence and the lights were too bright for him to see through the dark. He couldn't breathe and his heart was pumping as fast as a racing broom. There was an enormous pressure all around him yet he couldn't feel anything at all. Every sense was overloaded and asphyxiated at the very same time and it was overwhelming him entirely.<p>

Then there was a voice that cut like a knife through every dimension. Rasping like there was little air and hissing like a snake, it was only noise at first. Jumbled sounds.

"I never left you, boy." The voice hissed and shivers of ice ran through Draco as he recognised the tones, "You can't ever escape me."

The voice became louder and louder until it sounded as if it were about to consume him a-

Suddenly Draco could feel again, a sharp sting on his cheek. Raising his hand up to his face, he tended to the stinging patch of skin on his face. When Draco opened his eyes he saw a huge pair of nearly black eyes staring down at him.

"That's the third time this week. And it's Thursday." Blaise told him accusingly but very quietly, "Are you ready to tell me about these nightmares yet?"

It had been weeks now. Eight weeks into the school year and Draco's nightmares were getting progressively worse. Each night he could feel Voldemort a little more clearly. Each night his dreams were more vivid. Each night it got harder to pull himself out of the dream.

Draco shrugged as he heaved himself into a sitting position and lent back on his hands but at the same time as shrugging he nodded minutely.

Blaise, ever the perceptive and great friend noticed the nod and made himself comfortable on the bed. He snatched on of Draco's pillows, propped it up against the footboard and crossed his legs under Draco's dislodged duvet. Seated and ready to listen, Blaise sat expectantly.

"It's nothing really, Bla-"

"No, shut up. It's not nothing, don't lie to me. You've been scared of your own pillow for weeks. What is it?" Blaise snapped impatiently. The problem was when Draco tossed and turned it woke Blaise up, who was an unnaturally light sleeper. Obviously it was starting to get to him a little.

"It's… You Know Who." It was a simple statement but saying just made it real to Draco. He couldn't even bring himself to call Voldemort by his name. Now the war is over it was commonplace to hear the name spoken aloud by people other than The Order of the Pheonix but it still scared Draco. It used to be that when they said his name while touching their Mark it would call him to them, and even now he was gone it was a terrifying thought. In the back of every one of his followers minds was the fear of him coming back. Whether it was masked by hope or purely fear, it was there in all their conscious thoughts.

There were long moments of stony silence as Blaise stared at Draco who was still shaken by the dreams.

"C'mere you great pussy." Blaise said softly, his words at odds with his caring tone. He held his arms out and Draco gladly went to sit next to him. He lent on the boy's shoulder and felt comforted immediately.

They sat for a long time like that. Draco had always felt better around his friends, especially his best friends. They could act like there was nothing to worry about and it made him feel like it could possibly be true. This wasn't working too well this time, though. Just like in 6th year, Draco felt like he was the only person in the world who could understand even though he knew if he gave them a chance his friends would damn well try.

A great sigh emerged from somewhere deep withing Draco and it made his shoulders rise massively to dig into Blaise's sides. Blaise snorts and ruffles Draco's hair a little like he was a puppy who'd just bought him a bone. Draco protested and punched Blaise lightly.

"He's dead you know." Blaise said, switching to attempting being emotional. It really didn't suit him.

"It doesn't feel like he is. It's like he's back and he's coming for me. I can't wake up no matter how hard I try. It's more realistic each time, it's like it builds." Speaking slowly, Draco tried to explain what he was feeling.

"He's not here though, so you're just being stupid." After a moment Blaise choked out what he thought to be comforting.

Draco looked at him and rolled his eyes dramatically.

"Oh, I'm so glad I came to you about this Blaise. You're so comforting." Draco drawled sarcasticly.

Emotions had never been either of the boy's strong points and they prided themselves on never sitting around and moping like fourth year Hufflepuffs.

Draco was enjoying the comfort from Blaise but it really wasn't a comfortable position so he moved to mirror his position on the headboard opposite him.

"Well, if you want comfort the Huflepuffs are over the hall." Blaise grinned.

They laughed to themselves for a while before they were interrupted by the soft creak of a door and someone failing at trying to sneak back in quietly. The person was in the room but nobody could see him, so Draco knew all too well who it was. Harry was always coming back late recently and it was becoming a ritual that they be the only three awake. Of course Harry had absolutely no clue as to why exactly they were awake at all hours of the night.

"Oi, Potter. Good shag?" Blaise called across to the boy. Draco still hadn't told his friends about their truce the first weekend of the year. It was okay though, because as far as Draco could tell Harrys friends hadn't heard much about it either.

"What?" The boy practically hissed at them, although he didn't actually hiss because they could understand it. Draco had always fancied being able to speak parseltongue, there was something darkly alluring about it. Who wouldn't want be able to hiss unspeakable things to people who would never know what they said?

Behind the anger was genuine confusion though, which was often on they boy's face when he was speaking to the pair. After a moment he seemed to actually grasp what Blaise had been implying.

"I didn't just have sex with anyone!" Harry defended himself as he walked over to the bed they were sat at and stood by the side of it, "Wish I did though, mate."

Blaise's jaw visibly dropped for a moment at the casual comment and ridiculous audacity of Harry. Draco had to stifle a laugh and he looked up at Harry who was grinning at Blaise and looking very pleased with himself.

"Since when were we 'mates'?" Blaise questioned, looking totally outraged.

Harry simply shrugged and sat down on the bed in the space between them and crossed his legs.

"So Potter, why no shagging?" Draco asked, playing along with whatever Harry was doing because it was hilarious to watch Blaise edge away like Harry's sudden craziness might be infectious.

"Ah, you see my little friend-"

"The She-Weasel?" Blaise interrupted, trying to annoy Harry.

It didn't work.

"That's the one. Anyway, I've barely seen her at all this year so even if I wanted to I probably couldn't get a shag out of her if I wanted one." Harry explained.

At that, Draco was absolutely intrigued. He'd always presumed everything was hunky dory in the life of The Chosen One.

"Don't you like her?" Draco questioned, the curiosity evident in his voice.

"What is going on?" Blaise snapped from his corner of the bed.

"Oh, sorry. It slipped my mind to tell you but Potter and I don't hate each other anymore." Draco informed Blaise, casual as anything. "Well, we've agreed not to act like we hate each other anyhow."

"I think the agreement was actually to stop being enemies." Harry added.

Taking a moment to soak this information in Blaise's eyes narrowed as he surveyed the boys.

"Still, he doesn't have to come and crash our little… Slumber party!" Blaise was flustered, and the words slumber party obviously slipped out before he'd really thought about it. Blaise didn't like sharing his best friend and obviously saw Harry as some kind of competition.

All three of the boys burst out into uncontrolled laughter. The sound was muffled by them trying to keep quiet but they heard someone stir a little and then there was a great groan from somewhere in the room. This only served to add to the hilarity of the situation.

"Well… I think we'd… better go to bed." Blaise spluttered out between fits of laughter.

"No, wait." Snapping himself out of his laughing fit, Draco turned on Harry, "Spill, Potter. What's this with the ginger?"

Harry raised his eyebrows at Draco and when Blaise leaned back in to hear the conversation he chuckled quietly.

"Jesus, you guys are eager for gossip."

"Who's Jesus?" Both boys asked simultaneously.

At this Harry totally lost it, to the point where he couldn't breathe properly through silent laughter. He wheezed and silently wailed while Draco and Blaise just watched.

Obviously this was a muggle joke, Draco thought. He really had no idea about muggles at all, and he found that increasing amounts of people were familiar with such inside jokes. It wasn't something Draco had ever really cared about, and he was determined to continue this trend.

"Anyway, bedtime." Harry said suddenly and he got up to wander off to bed.

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><p>"HARRY!" The high pitched voice rung around the corridor and Harry stopped dead.<p>

Ginny stormed up in a flurry of red hair and heavy footsteps. She stood opposite Harry with her hands on her hips, eyes alight and face deadly serious. Her hair was hanging everywhere all over her face and she seemed to pin Harry down to the spot with nothing but a stern look while the rest of the school continued to walk past.

"And where exactly have you been?" She demanded and Harry was almost a little too scared to play dumb. Almost.

"Erm, Breakfast then Potions and I'm on my w-"

"You know what I meant." Ginny's glare was almost as scary as her mother's.

Harry had been avoiding her for a while. He wasn't exactly sure why, but if he was plainly honest with himself he did have some idea. During the war he'd wanted nothing more than a boring girlfriend, who he could grow old with and have boring children and live a generally boring life. That's what everyone expected of him and he'd thought that was what he'd wanted. However, now that he could have all that and it was just so available to him. It was a little too boring. A little too easy. A little too expected.

"I've… I've been really busy with newts and homework and trying to settle in. I just haven't had a spare minute." Harry explained cautiously.

Ginny's face went from having a twinge of empathy at the mention of newts to outright disbelief. She knew Harry too well to believe he'd ever do any real homework unless Hermione was on his back about it and apparently she'd been seeing Hermione a lot.

"Three weeks until Christmas, Harry. Three weeks. I'm giving you three weeks because I love you Harry, or we'd be over right now. Don't fucking ruin it." With that she turned on her heel and stalked off back in the other direction.

Oh dear…

If he upset Ginny, Ron would kill him and Hermione would give him that look that said she knew something he didn't. Harry didn't know which was worse. Right then he didn't particularly feel like going to Defence Against The Dark Arts and spend an hour babbling to Ron about Quidditch scores, and how it's terribly unfair they're not allowed on house teams. He felt like going and lying on his bed in his dorm with his curtains drawn and sleeping the rest of the day away until dinner.

Slapping himself internally and telling himself he'll enjoy it once he's there, Harry started walking across to the DADA classroom.

On his way he saw a certain ghoul that was whooshing around the corridors and making first years squeal as he nearly slammed into them. He had somehow covered himself in rainbow coloured wet paint that was dripping down onto the floor and causing a mess in amongst the racket. Harry chuckled to himself as he was sure Filch would appear any minute to scream and shout at Peeves. He'd eventually resort to threatening him with The Bloody Baron no doubt.

Peeves begun to sing a song about how beautiful rainbows were and younger years edged around him like he was going to infect them with rainbow paint. Ever the Gryffindor, Harry decided to walk straight through the cleared area Peeves had made in the corridor. He even walked at a leisurely pace, just to spite him. He was everyone's least and most liked ghost at the school with his childish ways.

As he got halfway through Peeves span around and glared at him, but Harry just winked as people looked on in awe. Obviously peeves didn't appreciate this and he soared over to dance around Harry and block his way, so it was a shock to them both that when Harry tried to push him out of the way he simply went straight through him.

Peeves the Poltergeist, Harry, and all the onlookers were totally stunned for a moment. They just stood around and stared, processing what had happened with mouths agape.

"What's going o-" Filch rounded the corner and people quickly bustled to where they'd been going to but then he saw the rainbow mess, "PEEVES!"

The scream pierced the corridor and snapped both boy and ghost out of their trance like stare. Peeves veered around the corner and giggled madly while still dripping rainbows everywhere. Harry went to go as quickly as his legs would take him to his next lesson as Filch chased his biggest fiend.

Harry decided as soon as he'd entered the Defence room that he'd tell Hermione and see what she said. He should probably tell her about the dreams too, while he was confessing. Possibly he'd leave out his truce with the Slytherin's as Hermione had done little but complain about her least favourite dorm mates.

Before any of that, he had a long morning ahead of him. In Defence Against The Dark Arts the class were set about curing cursed Pixies, only problem is they were cursed to try and hurt them. Sure enough Seamus' was set alight within a few minutes and not so surprisingly anymore, Neville was the first to get it better. Hannah Abbot tried to sweet talk hers into being nice and Padama actually managed to make hers stop and think long enough to stun it. The entire lesson went by before much more progress was made and they were told they'd continue the next day. By the end Harry should have almost forgotten the incident with the not-so-solid Poltergeist however it clung to his mind and wound it's way into most of his thoughts. He was definitely telling Hermione at Lunch.


	5. Chapter Five

_**Disclaimer**: Any recognisable characters, setting and scenarios are owned by the wonderful and amazing J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros and other suchlikes. I am making no money and am doing this for purely entertainment purposes, don't eat me. Also, many jokes in these belong to my humorous friends who will possibly eat me if I don't give them credit._

_**A/N:** How lovely to see this next chapter so fast, right? It's not very long though, I apologize. I know, I suck. Mainly though, this is because there isn't much else I want in this chapter at all, really. I've really enjoyed writing this, once again and I have just been working like slave for ages. My mum thinks I'm doing work... HA! This chapter is a little different as you will notice, I need different points of view to take my story where I want it to go. Look forward to cheeky Blaise, clever Hermione, and a flirty Draco. Any mistakes in here are most unfortunately mine as I am still trying ever so hard to cope without my fabulous beta. Any offers greatly appreciated, as are corrections. Once again, I'm giving an item of clothing to a house elf for every review so I take it as personal insult and a declaration of your support of slavery if you don't review! I'm joking, of course. Although reviews are nice. I'll let you read the chapter now bye!_

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><p>Hermione was sat alone in the corner of the hall reading the third volume of <em>Awfully Useless Ancient Runes Hardly Anyone Remembers<em> like it was her favourite novel. It wasn't overly interesting, but it was great to learn things about languages that other's didn't. Actually, it was great to learn full stop in her opinion.

The hall was noisy and full of overly boisterous teenager's. Some were throwing food and others were just being far too loud. There was only a week and a half until the Christmas holidays and it was obvious when you looked around. The enchanted ceiling showed a distinct promise of yet more snow, and there was already tinsel thrown on various statues and a small tree in the corner of the room.

She saw Ginny storm past and sit next to Seamus. That was odd, she normally sat next to Harry, although recently... Oh.

It clicked then, Harry and Ginny had finally actually sat and talked about whatever it was going on. Possibly, although knowing them she probably screamed at him, then he gave her a pleading look and she melted just a little. Feisty as she may be Ginevra Weasley had a rather obvious soft spot for Harry, and it's a bloody good job too. Hermione thought she had a good idea what they'd eventually decided to do with themselves although it was best not to presume with Harry. He'd always liked to do the unexpected. She peered over and scrutinised the look on Ginny's face, she had been crying but quite a while ago and she had her brave face on. Not that it said anything about what she was really feeling, Ginny always had been good at hiding her feelings. She sat and chatted idly and when Luna Lovegood came over and said something Hermione couldn't quite lip read Ginny pushed her lunch away and stormed out of the hall.

"'Mione!" Ron called across to her and she snapped her head back up to see Ron charging his way through the rabble of Hufflepuffs who'd gotten in the way. He knocked a few a little off balance but mumbled appologies as he made a rather speedy move towards where Hermione was sat.

Even in the massive hall Ron stood out to be causing commotion and Hermione had to refrain from rolling here eyes. What was he like?

Harry was stood at the doorway trying to get Ginny to listen to him while she shouted things at him that had made groups of the people sat nearby turn and stare at them interestedly. Students at Hogwarts truly were shameless when it came to gossip.

Ron arrived and tucked one stray strand of burly hair back behind her ear before kissing her on the top of the head and sitting himself down.

"What's up?" He asked, surveying her face for traces of whatever was the matter.

"What's going on with Harry and Ginny?" She asked him carefully. She didn't know exactly how protective Ron was going to be about his sister, "They've been... Cool."

"Is this you being muggle hip, or?" Ron asked, genuinely not able to get his head around the use of muggle slang. Not that Hermione ever used it, only Harry. She gave him an exasperated look. "No, right. I don't know... I guess, but..."

"Oh, nevermind Ronald." Hermione said, and although her words suggested she was angry she leant against his arm a little and continued to pretend to be reading.

Harry and Ginny were on rocky ground, Harry hadn't been sleeping and he keeps telling her they needed to talk. She didn't know quite what it meant, but it meant something.

"Hey guys." Harry said and slumped down on the bench opposite. He smiled weakly and poured himself a glass of pumpkin juice.

"Ron, could you go get us another jug?" Hermione asked and raised her eyebrows in a gesture that said 'get lost'.

"Make it worth my while?" Ron grinned cheekily and winked at her. Hermione blushed deeply and tried to scowl but failed because the corners of her mouth pulled up a little. Harry grinned at his friend who walked off to go 'get some more juice'. Hermione really did love her friends, and after all they'd been through wanted nothing more than for them to just be happy. Her and Ron were happy, it was just Harry she needed to sort out now.

"So, what did you have to tell me?" Hermione turned on Harry and asked. She didn't give him a chance to get out of telling her.

He leaned across the table and started talking almost immediately. He told her about the dreams and how real they felt, and about how his scar itched sometimes when he woke up. He told her about how he felt about Ginny. How he really felt, not how he was trying to con her into thinking he felt. He told her about his new found friendship with certain people despite what Hermione figured to be his better judgement. He told her about Peeves and that shocked her most.

By the time he was finished Hermione had no time to respond. Only to nod and tell him to tell Ron soon, except maybe the Malfoy part, before Ron was back with a full jug of Pumpkin Juice and Winky hot on his tail.

"Master Granger, Miss! Thank you for the coins, miss, but this is not right. Winky does not ask for th-" Winky was nearly out of breath from running and sobbing and generally hyperventilating. There were massive heaving sobs emmiting between every word and her lungs should be fit to burst.

"Winky, I didn't want to offend you. Take it." Hermione ordered. She'd decided that perhaps it was better to simply make the elves happy slaves, as it had only seemed to make them worse when they were free. Harry's speech about Dobby being different on the train had also shaken her a little, perhaps the elves were happiest with what they knew. Better the devil you know, and all that.

Hermione smiles sweetly at the poor elf and puts her arm around Winky. She pats her head softly and comforts her lightly without taking back the money. When Hermione felt Winky beginning to breathe normally again she looked up and smiled at her.

"Think of it as a present. Okay?" Hermione added and sent Winky back to the kitchens with a sad sigh.

When Hermione looks up Blaise Zabini is watching them thoughtfully. She rolls her eyes and mouths 'Can I help you?' but he seems too lost in thought to respond.

* * *

><p>"No! Honestly Potter, what are you doing? Boomslang in first." Draco was getting more and more frustrated with his seemingly incompetent potions partner.<p>

Draco turned to glare at the boy and knocked his hand away from the potion with a swift movement. He wondered to himself why, when Slughorn sorted them by ability, he managed to land himself in a pair with Harry. It wasn't the first time he'd wondered.

It was their third attempt at brewing amortentia and Harry kept skipping instuctions or reading the book wrong. Draco is starting to think he needed better glasses. Looking down at the book Harry was reading from he saw it had a piece of paper over one of the pages, ruining the order they needed to do it in.

Draco snatched the piece of paper away and tapped the book quickly without peeling his eyes from the wrongly brewing pot. He tried to figure out whether he could salvage it, but decided against it and motioned for Harry to get rid of it.

Harry muttered an apology and went to pour the contents of the couldren down the sink. The moment he picked it up though, Ron bound over like an excitable jack russel and knocked into Harry. The ugly orange and bubbling potion spilled everywhere and people rushed to get out of it's way while Ron sprawled himself on the desk, trying to keep his feet off the ground.

"Oh, for fucks sake Harry, now I'll be stuck in detention with you and the weasel!" Draco shouted and glared, stepping away from the mess to keep his shoes clean.

"Scourgify!" Hermione called and the mess was gone. "Honestly, boys! Grow up."

"Yeah, Potter." Draco was so frustrated with his partner that it didn't even occur to him that he was siding with Hermione of all people.

"All of you!" She shouted and Draco flipped her the middle finger. She looked shocked but didn't respond. Her hair looked particularly frazzled and Draco laughed when Blaise decided to peer from behind it like a curtain, winding a finger next to his head in a crazy sign. Hermione didn't even notice.

Ron handed Harry a note, which was obviously what he'd came over to do, and sulked back to his seat. The whole ordeal was over before Slughorn had even appeared back in the classroom.

"Right.. Eerm... May-" Harry begun after a while.

"How about, I'll tell you exactly what to do, you follow it to the letter and we both get away without detention." Draco offered, his tone heavy with dark humour. "Or better still, you watch."

Harry watched. He sat and stared at Draco in a strange kind of awe, Draco couldn't decide if it was flattering or freaky. Draco worked quickly and quietly and when Slughorn came over Harry pretended to be helping before going back to staring again. Draco was great at potions, it was one of his strongest points and it frustrated him to be put with someone who only does well when he cheats. Sometimes the catastrophes Harry get's himself into are actually quite funny but Draco did actually want to do well this year. He was one of the people who would need O in everything to be so much as considered for a cleaning job.

After his part in the war there were so few employers who would even consider taking him on that he was very glad he had his families fortunes to fall back on.

"Why exactly am I even paired with you?" Draco asked frustratedly, and looked up from the potion. He was starting to smell faint whiffs of fresh air, which meant it was beginning to take shape.

"I cheated." Harry stated simply at first, however when Draco gave him a horrified look he continued. "I had Snape's old potions book with all his notes. He had every potion perfect, and even some spells in there."

Draco looked with disbelief but when Harry grinned mischievously he turned back to his potion. So Harry had been cheating, he probably deserved a T but was on his way to and O. Why on earth wasn't Harry cheating anymore?

"Can I have the book?" Draco asked earnestly and giving Harry his very best puppy dog eyes. He'd been told he was good at them when he wanted to be.

Harry rolled his eyes. "No, that book was bloody dangerous... Got rid ages ago." Harry trailed off for a moment and then looked sincerely into Draco's eyes. Even though Draco had half of his attention fixed on the Amortentia brewing below him he managed to be utterly confused. "Do you have the scars?"

It all clicked into place for him then. That was where Harry got the spell from and how Snape could heal him. A wave of anger washed over Draco for a moment, even though he knew it was a little unreasonable.

"Yes. Now shut the fuck up I'm concentrating." Draco snapped cruelly, and Harry did just as he said. Going back to watching Draco at work.

Another ten minutes passed by before Draco added the final ingredient and gave a small flick of his wand. Out came the smell of fresh rain, shower gel and clean sheets. Pretty damn perfect, if Draco did say so himself.

"There. That should be enough to create love between you and... Possibly even my father." Draco said to Harry proudly once he'd finished, shooting a smirk at the last part of the sentence. Harry looked at him with a face that said 'likely story'.

"Prat." Harry muttered and Draco stood to admire his work from a new angle. "Certainly my least favourite Malfoy."

"Me, of course, being your favourite." Draco winked and elbowed him discreetly. He was very glad they sat in a place where none of his friends were able to easily watch him or else they'd suspect the truce he and Harry had come to.

He stood back before taking a vial over to Slughorn's desk for testing.

The Professor was testing the potion on a pair of frogs who were currently at either side of their box, not looking at one another. He put a drop of potion on two treats and fed it to each frog. For a moment nothing happened but then suddenly the frogs turned to look at each other.

They watched his pair of frogs suddenly start running around together to find a place to mate within their enclosure. The class laughed at the spectacle and Draco smiled smugly.

"Brilliant work, both of you!" Slughorn cheered and clapped Draco on the back harshly. He tensed up and smiled awkwardly at his teacher before sort letting out a kind of half laugh.

Feeling all too proud of himself Draco simply swaggered back to his place and lent against his desk, casting a charm that packed his things away for him.

"You're bloody amazing at that, you know?" Harry said, still sounding very much in awe.

"What? Creating feelings of lust? I know, it's my hair you see." Draco countered and swished his tousled hair at Harry dramatically. Harry's eyes lingered on his hair for a moment before he rolled them.

Draco wouldn't admit it if he was under Veritaserum but he'd actually grown to quite enjoy the company of Harry since their truce. They could tear each other to pieces and they knew that as long as neither one mentioned the war, everything would still be fine. Harry was still annoying but slowly, Draco was starting to see why everyone loved him. Sally had told him a few weeks ago that she thought he and Harry made an interestingly cute pair and honestly, Draco didn't know what to make of that. Sally was a true Slytherin, but she was friends with everyone. Even Hermione seemed to like her.

The bell went and Slughorn dismissed the class, saying that anyone who wasn't finished was to come back that evening to do so.

The proud swagger continued as Draco made his way out of the door quickly, rushing to avoid the crowds in the corridors. People tended to steer out of his way anyway but that only made him feel worse.

Blaise rushed to catch up with him and dragged him off down the corridor. Blaise was practically skipping, but Draco decided that due to the uncanny grin he was wearing, he probably didn't want to know.

"So, then. My little dragon, ho-" Blaise began, walking backwards and making people veer out of his way to save him bumping into them.

"I am not your little dragon."

"Okay then, my big scary dragon." Blaise grinned wider and Draco rolled his eyes. He really wasn't in the mood for this, but he couldn't help but laugh at his friend. "Are you staying for Christmas?"

Draco's step faltered for a minute before he could recover himself. He hadn't thought about Christmas at all. There was two weeks to go and Draco had barely even noticed the time passing. Over the summer eight weeks had felt like an eternity spent wallowing in self pity but now he was busy he'd barely felt time move at all.

He didn't know if he could handle another two weeks on his own. He pretended to be the Unbreakable Slytherin Prince but when it really came down to it there's a reason Slytherin's are great friends. They can't quite cope on their own.

The thought of spending Christmas alone in a big cold mansion was almost enough to make up his mind for him. Draco didn't want yet another unwelcome reminder of how few people he had now, and it seemed Christmas was determined to give him just that.

"Maybe. Are you?" Draco asked.

"Yeah. My mum is still being held, I presume." Blaise said, and it seemed to ruin his mood for a moment before he continued. "Pansy's staying too. I reckon we can sneak her into the dorm or something."

Draco rolled his eyes.

"She's sleeping in your bed."

"Oh, yes. Don't you know it." Blaise tripped a little and nearly fell into the Arithmancy classroom where he slammed straight into Hermione. "Whoa, watch it you! Anyone'd think you wanted m-"

"Don't be crude, Zabini." She ordered with a glare before she returned to her seat.

Blaise and Draco Snickered but before he could laugh properly Draco felt something on his arm.

His first thought was that he had some kind of bug under his thin white shirt but when he rolled up his sleeve there was nothing there but a fading Dark Mark.

* * *

><p>All Harry could think today was "Thank god it's friday."<p>

His lessons dragged on and on in a blur of lack of sleep and monotony. He had homework stacked for the weekend and practically no prospects for the next few weeks. He couldn't wait until the christmas holidays. "Only a week to go" he chanted to himself for the hours he was stuck inside while the grounds he could see did their best to make themselves look inviting.

The last five minutes of Astronomy felt like an eternity but when the final bell finally went he got up and made for the door so fast that Proffessor Sinistra didn't even have time to tell him he wasn't dismissed yet. He raced from the classroom and tore down the stairs as fast as he could to catch the last hour of icy daylight. Arriving at the broom cupboard in record time, Harry picked up a random broom, feeling too much in a rush to be outside to go get his firebolt.

He got out onto the grounds and kicked himself off the ground.

The random broom felt alien underneath him, but he soon adjusted and got a feel. He had to make far more drastic movements to get a response, but other than that and the fact he doubted the old broom could get much fasted than a cleensweep he found little difference.

He flew as fast and high as he could. Soaring and swooping between towers and weaving between trees. Nothing could touch him. Harry flew around the castle and over the forest and made his way to the Quidditch pitch. There wasn't normally practice on on Friday nights but when he arrived the Gryffindor team was racing around, appearing only as red blurs.

He brought his broom to a halt over the stands and watched the group carefully. They were playing with two keepers in a way that was normally only used for tryouts. Harry missed this, the feel of being on a team and working together.

He found that no matter how fast he flew, without the Snitch to chase it was rather pointless. Unless he was playing to win he found himself only enjoying it half as much. When he'd first used his broom again after the war it'd been almost entirely alien, which scared him a lot. Soon enough he'd got used to it when he played teams with the Weasleys.

"Keeper's out for the next game." Ginny had silently pulled up level with him. He hadn't noticed her and so nearly jumped out of his skin and used it to hex her when she spoke suddenly. "We're running tryouts, whaddya think?"

Ginny was making Quidditch conversation because they had nothing much else to talk about. Not that that was much to talk about, because Harry didn't play anymore.

"I think you need Ron back." Harry said to her with a wry smile.

"I think I need you back." Ginny retorted.

Her expression was cold and fixed entirely on the tryouts that were going on in front of her. It was sad for Harry to see Ginny like this, she barely ever sulked. A sign something was really wrong was if Ginny was quiet or subdued. As menacing as the grim.

They both knew she wasn't talking about the Quidditch team and perhaps with her moods it would be better if Harry didn't play dumb for once.

"I'm here, Gin." Harry half pleaded with her.

Harry didn't know why he was pleading, but he was. The last thing in the world he wanted was for Ginny to get hurt.

"Now, you are. But not really. It's like you're not even yourself anymore, and even if you're not yourself - which I totally understand by the way, I mean you died- you're never around anyway." Rushing everything out on one breath she finally stopped for air. "You've changed."

Harry looked at her for a long time. Her eyes were fixed onto the game and her hair was blowing softly in the breeze. He loved her, a lot. He wanted her to be happy. But he found himself asking if he's really in love with her, and whether love is anything at all compared to being in love?

What was the difference? Harry's head began to hurt and he just wanted to kick himself for being such an idiot.

"Do you think there's a difference between loving someone, and being in love with them?"

"I think love is for everyone, in love is for just that one person." Ginny continued to watch the game. "Oi, Finley keep your hands to yourself!"

A smaller boy around fourth year looked up and smiled sheepishly before letting go of the bludger and other boy he was wrestling it from.

"What would you say if I told you I loved you, but I don't know if I'm in love with you?" Harry asked as carefully and tactfully as he could. He was never good at that kind of thing.

Ginny sighed heavily and turned towards him with a slight tear in her eye. It wasn't something she normally did, and the affection wasn't something Harry could handle.

The tear in her eye was quickly blinked back and she bit her lip hard. Looking into her eyes while they were sad was one of the hardest things Harry had ever had to do. It left him with what felt like a tornado swirling in his stomach.

"I think I've been expecting that for a long time. Still stings." Ginny didn't unlock her eyes from his. "Whoever it is you fall in love with, know that I'll hate them forever."

Harry laughed at this and she chuckled sadly too.

"So?"

"So we're over. You can tell Ron and if anyone asks, I broke up with you and it's all gravy." Her voice was low and sad as she turned back to watch the game closely.

"I'm sorry."

"You'd better be, now scram."


	6. Chapter Six

_**Disclaimer:** Any recognisable characters, setting and scenarios are owned by the wonderful and amazing J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros and other suchlikes. I am making no money and am doing this for purely entertainment purposes, don't eat me. Also, many jokes in these belong to my humorous friends who will possibly eat me if I don't give them credit._

**_A/N:_**_ I'm so sorry once again for this taking longer than I anticipated. Basically, I'm still at school and working. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it, full time education and a part time job makes free time a very rare commodity. However, at the end of this week I shall be doing neither, only charity work. So, I fully intend to have this story finished fairly sharpish (I am talking six weeks here guys). I do hope you guys enjoy the sexual tension in this chapter, I had to physically restrain myself to stop a kinky bit of sex going on here, but it would have been terribly OOC. Does anybody ever read these blabberings? If you do, I feel sorry for you. Once again my beta is missing so any mistakes are most certainly mine and I would love it if you mercilessly corrected me. Reviews save house elves and make my life!_

* * *

><p>Sitting in the corner of the eighth year common room was Blaise Zabini, watching a certain group of Gryffindor's closely. His eyes were narrowed just over his book so to anyone other than the trio it would have appeared he was reading.<p>

Harry had come in looking glum. Then he'd spoken to Hermione who had seemed inclined to comfort him even though there were no tears. She'd spoken to him for a long time, both engaged in deep conversation. He'd talked to her in massive paragraphs and she tended to simply respond with motherly looks. There was no way for Blaise to tell what they were talking about, but when Ron came and sat with them, and got in a mood after a few minutes. Blaise thought he had a fairly good idea.

This was great news for his little get-draco-laid-before-he-turns-into-a-rage-monster plan. However it made no difference to his long term get-some-sleep plan.

Draco's nightmares were no better and it really didn't help Blaise to get any sleep. He'd finally feel himself drifting off only to hear muffled noises and thrashing from the bed beside him. Then, being the fabulous best friend he was, he had to awake Draco from his reccurring nightmare. Not particularly his idea of fun. In his totally unhumble opinion, it was time to put a stop to it. The fact Harry Potter had told Hermione at lunch he'd been having the same problem could mean one of a few things.

They're both going serparately crazy, they're both going crazy together, or something in common is making them crazy.

Blaise was going to figure it out and make it stop. If only because he really needed some goddamn sleep. He reached up to rub his eyes with his knuckles and stifled a yawn. The common room was at that temperature where everything was so much more comfortable, and it was making him tired just thinking about sleep. He snapped himself awake quickly, he needed to get a move on with at least one of his plans.

But there was no way he was going to have a conversation with Harry about Draco. And then the only person he disliked more than Harry was Ron. Picturing in his head how Ron would react to Blaise asking for help, a laugh in the face before a punch. Most likely. Blaise prided himself on being respected, and no doubt that respect would falter if he were beaten to a pulp by an undesirable Weasley. Ginevra would probably be alright with him, though he never saw her with Harry so doubted whether she'd be any more help than Pansy. He came to the conclusion that his best bet was Hermione. He could trust Hermione to be calm and logical about pretty much everything he could throw at her.

Out of the corner of his eye, Blaise saw Hermione get up and move towards the main exit of the common room. Being sat less than a meter from where she was headed, he saw his chance and grasped it.

Pulling himself in front of the staircase to block her exit, he smirked at Hermione. She didn't look impressed at all as she tried to push past him.

"What on earth do you want?" She asked eventually. Completely exasperated.

"What's going on with Harry?" He asked. He settled back into leaning against a nearby wall. Her exit still blocked. She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest but Blaise just smiled sweetly back.

"He's broken up with Ginny. What's it to you?" Hermione stated petulantly and went to walk out again.

Blaise was having none of it though, blocking her exit at every turn she made. He didn't care how long it took him and how irritating he had to be because if he had to be woken by Draco another night he'd kill somebody.

"I don't give a sh-"

"Zabini! Leave 'er alone!" Ron shouted, even though he'd found his way to being stood behind Hermione anyway.

"Ronald Billius Weasley, blood traitor extrodinaire and now apparently Granger's night in shining armour. Any other titles you are going to grace us with?" Very nearly sneering, Blaise spoke as if he were playing an overly flamboyant squire in a pantomime. He found the best way to get rid of stupid people, was to use sarcasm. Blaise swore to that method like it was written in holy ink, that and the fact it was his favourite way of speaking.

Ron flushed red and stuttered for a moment before walking away when Hermione turned and told him she could handle it on her own. He was still blushing when he went and sat back down next to Harry. Blaise took his eyes back to Hermione.

"The dreams. Draco has them too." Blaise told her in a near whisper.

She gaped at him for a moment and Blaise could almost hear the coggs in her brain turning over the gentle hum of the common room. She scrutinised his face carefully and it made Blaise feel slightly self conscious. But then her eyes glazed over and she lost herself in thought for a moment. Blaise could only stare at her with raised eyebrows, she belonged in Ravenclaw really. She snapped out of it and looked at him.

"Harry's scar twitches from them. I don't know what they are but it's not just any old nightmare." Was what she eventually spat out with a worried expression on her face.

"Any bright ideas?" Blaise asked, only half sarcasticly.

"Library."

* * *

><p>Easing open his eyes, Draco knew immediately he wasn't in bed. No, he was still in Astronomy. He attempted to yawn as inconspiciously as possible, which obviously didn't work.<p>

"Morning sunshine!" Sally-Anne Perks whispered brightly from behind him.

"Fuck off." Groaning and resting his head onto the desk, Draco stifled another large yawn.

"Remind me never to wake up next to you." She chimed sarcasticly.

"Remind me never to sleep with you." Draco quipped back.

"Touche!" Blaise commented from next to him. "Although Sally, I'm a morning person in case you were wondering."

"I wasn't." She winked at him all the same and Pansy scowled at her.

Most of Draco's friends had taken Astronomy and the subject was mainly Slytherin and Ravenclaw dominated. That normally shaped up to give decent conversations in this subject but as Sinistra had insisted on quiet, Draco had found himself drifting off once again. He wasn't the only one either, he saw Terry Boot snoring in the corner with the word SQUIB in black ink on his forhead.

For a moment Draco chuckled to himself at the lack of imagination from his classmates. Even though for the most part they'd cower somewhere if he decided to join the crowd gathered around Terry. His friends treated him the same as ever but it seemed everyone else was scared. Everyone else had changed they're opinions of him through the war and instead of seeing him as the pathetic school bully, they saw him as a scary death eater. He was probably closer to the first of the two, though he'd never admit it to himself.

Trying to force himself to tune into the stern and steady if not slightly monotone lecture of Proffesor Sinistra, Draco forced himself awake for the remainder of the half hour. He managed to scribble down a line of notes before he threw himself out of the class as fast as he could. Even though he only then went to wait for his friends.

"Are we going to see everyone off then?" Pansy asked, trying to act brightly.

"Do we have to?" Baise and Draco whined simultaneously. Looking as tired as Draco felt, he guessed Blaise wanted to just go to bed as much as he did. The bags under his friends eyes were getting darker and it was predominantly Draco's fault. Draco felt kind of bad for a moment, but then decided hell, it's not like he _wants_ nightmares.

"If you're not all there to see us off I'll hex you!" Sally called from halfway down the staircase and Blaise stuck his tongue out at her.

Draco rolled his eyes and started down the stairs. They only had about half an hour before they'd have to be at the station and he wanted to get a decent amount of time lying on his bed before then. He was exhausted.

Behind him, Pansy and Blaise followed closely. They talked amongst themselves, flirting and teasing each other gently. The chime of his friends voides in the background kept Draco from running down the stairs to get back to their common room. Without them he'd have a lot less headaches, but he wouldn't swap them for the world. Well, actually he probably would...

"Oooh, Draco guess what Blaise found out?" Pansy squealed so close to his ear he swore he should be deaf. "I can't believe he hasn't teased you yet!"

"What has Blaise charmed out of some unsuspecting Hufflepuff?" Draco asked, as if the conversation were all too tedious. In fact he was fairly intrigued. Blaise manages to weasel out all sorts of information, probably because he was pretty hard to hate. He was a joker, sure. Stuck up, definitely. But he had everyone's best interests at heart. Unlike Draco who either loved you, or hated you. There was no middle ground or being nice because you should with Draco Malfoy, but at least you know where you're stood.

"It was Granger, actually." Pansy turned and looked at him with an expression of horror. "What? Just because you hate her. She's useful."

"Tool." She jibed at him halfheartedly.

"Slut." He retorted back. By this time Draco had a killing headache and was on the verge of turning round to knock their heads together. "Anyway, there's somebody freshly single lurking about."

Draco was now very much intrigued, if not a little worried by Pansy's snort. He mumbled a noise vaguely affirmative and began to hope Blaise wasn't having him on. Really hope. But then Draco realised that unless this person was a fan of ex death eater's he'd probably laugh in his face and walk right away.

"Short, probably a bottom" Draco heard a slap and a giggle from behind him and instantly decided he didn't want to know what his friends were doing. "Yes, dark, handsome. He has a body on him, apparently..."

The long stretched out silence was only broken by passers by and pansy snorting with laughter. Draco thought about it. Most certainly his type, not that he had enough reputation to have one. Only in his mind did he have a type. Newly single, could take some effort and Draco wasn't exactly a comforting person. Even so, chances are this person would be terrified of him or hate his guts. However annoyed this made him, he wanted to know now anyway.

"So, are you going to tell me who it is?" Draco asked impatiently as he halted outside the common room entrance.

"Potter." Blaise and Pansy said in unison before bursting into uncontrolled fits of laughter.

Draco rolled his eyes and huffed in frustration. Blaise, as usual, was having him on. He wondered to himself why on earth he ever put up with him at all as he muttered the password and descended down into their common room. The place was starting to finally look lived in, rather than brand new and the fires were blazing to create a cozy feel. Magasines and books were on every table and most chairs had a random cloak or jumper strew across it.

Behind him his friends came down the staircase, still laughing.

"He is single though!" Pansy shouted as he crossed the common room and he flipped her an elegant middle finger. That proved too much for them and they found themselves nearly wheezing on the floor with laughter.

* * *

><p>Harry was sat in the common room already, he'd had to practically run there. Wanting to spend as much time with Ron as possible before the holiday, he'd come to the common room only to find him and Hermione already sat talking in depth about something. Once he'd arrived Ron attacked him with a rough brotherly hug. They'd grown ever closer since the death of his brother, although it hadn't matured him as Hermione had thought it would. Nothing could mature Ron, not really.<p>

Hermione and himself were trying to convince Ron that they really didn't need invitations to the Burrow, and that they really were fine at school. They knew the Wealsey's were going to be doing something as a family for Fred, and had come to a mutual decision it was probably better to give them space. They were practically family, however they weren't quite family. They'd keep in touch and probably spend far too much time flooing one another over the holidays, but it was better for them to have space to deal with their loss. Hermionoe had told him all this, and Harry had agreed. Ron was against the idea and said they were family enough to stay, but their minds were already made up.

He was just about to argue against them when Draco Malfoy stormed across the common room. Normally he'd pass through the hustle and bustle unnoticed but seeing as they were the only ones in there who weren't packing, he caused a fuss. He and his friends went quiet and Pansy's voice carried across the room. Hermione rolled her eyes in clear annoyance at her dorm mate, and Harry could have sworn she muttered something beneath her breath.

"Who is?" Harry asked him. He didn't mean to annoy him but it was clear that he did.

"You are." Draco sneered at him harshly, only just refraining from baring his teeth. Proudly, he marched the rest of the way past the gathering of armchairs by the fire and presumably into his dorm.

"What the bloody..." Ron started to ask, completely forgetting whatever it was he was about to say. He gaped after Draco in much the same way Harry did.

Hermione just looked at them both exasperatedly and said. "Have fun, Ron. Your family needs you but not a houseful of us. We'll both be there next year, promise." Her expression warmed and she stretched out her hand to hold Ron's. He looked up into her eyes and kissed her hand lightly as she blushed. Harry didn't know who he'd gotten lessons off but apparently they worked for him. Hand kissing was probably beyond George even, and Harry was beginning to be suspicious where this sudden romanticism had come from.

At that moment everybody started to pile in from their lessons. Most went straight to their dorms to pack the last of their things and get on their way to the station. There was a commotion as everyone collected personal belongings that had been scattered around their living quarters throughout the three months they'd been there. Although it'd been perfectly tidy when they'd all arrived, they'd soon managed to upset the order of everything and random belongings were scattered between all the rooms.

Harry spoke with his friends about Christmas plans, they exchanged presents and promised not to open them until christmas morning. They joked about the fact no matter what their presents this year would be much better than the last. Laughing with each other, they didn't notice the time passing until Seamus threw Ron's case at his feet.

"C'mon yeh lazy buggers!" Seamus called as he headed up spiral staricase that lead up to the halls. The trio snapped out of their conversation and gathered their things.

"Take a book for the journey Ronald." Hermione warned. She was trying to convince him reading was fun, to no avail. He didn't know it yet but Harry had bought the weasley family a television for Christmas. Harry guessed Hermione would have no chance with reading once he'd discovered how to work it properly. No doubt Mr Weasley would fire call him about how brilliant it was and they'd have to go through how to set the channel's up with him for hours. Then they'd have to listen to how brilliant muggles were for another few hours. Harry knew what he was doing Christmas day.

"I'll take it, but I'm not saying I'll read it." Ron said as he stuffed it into the bag he was going to take on the train with. Truth be told it'd probably end up with melted chocolate or pumpkin pasty all over it, rather than being read. They picked up a case of Ron's each and made their way out of the castle.

They walked in a steady and comfortable silence, Ron and Hermione a little ahead of Harry as was the usual pattern. Lugging suitcases and swapping so that Ron carried the heaviest, he jokingly claimed Hermione was probably stronger than Harry. Settling back into a comfortable silence, they began the long journey to the station. The Thestrals met them halfway and they enjoyed the second half of their journey in one of the carriages. The trees passed by in a blur as Harry looked out of the window, daydreaming about the upcoming christmas and thinking of what to do for a week and a half with no homework.

When they finally got to the station, the platform was crowded as ever. People were rushing about, hugging goodbyes, gathering luggage and finding seats. Harry realised he had no idea other than Hermione, who was staying. Dean and Seamus were going on holiday with their families together, although their families didn't know it was together yet. He'd managed to overhear that much. Other than that, he really didn't know. Judging by those on the platform, it wasn't going to be a massively busy christmas. Certainly the most of the younger years were clambering on the train with cases. The noise was unbearable and the hiss of steam and roar of the engine could barely be heard over the overly loud voices shouting goodbyes.

"Don't open anything until Christmas. And floo me!" Ron called as he embraced Harry in a firm hug, before squeezing Hermione tightly for a moment. Lugging his things up onto the coach nearest the back, he waved at them cheerily. "And don't get into too much trouble!"

"Promise." Hermione shouted and kissed him lightly on the cheek before coming to stand next to Harry again.

They watched him get onto the train and disappear. The racket started to die down, little by little. People got onto the train and gave up on their goodbyes, leaving fewer and fewer people on the platform.

Out of the corner of his eye Harry saw a shock of blonde hair. Draco was stood incredibly awkwardly, being hugged by Sally, who was obviously doing the rounds. Harry didn't like her much, he decided then. It wasn't a fair judgement as he'd never heard her do anything wrong however the fact she was being so overly friendly somehow annoyed him. She was just a little too nice. People were staying away from the silver trio as usual, giving them an extra meter around them so Harry could see they had no bags. Of course it wouldn't be Christmas without some red and green fights, would it? He only just refrained from rolling his eyes as he thought that bitterly.

"Bye guys!" Hermione and Harry turned to see Ginny leaning out of a window a little further down the train, she gave them a quick wave and then it seemed she was pulled back into the cabin.

"She'd kill herself falling out a cabin to say goodbye to us. Only Ginny." Hermione said with an air of exasperation and still fondness. Harry and Ginny were still on good terms. It was a good thing too or else he feared the Weasley women would find a way to stern look him to death. After everything he'd done, he was still a little scared of girls.

The train gave a massive huff just as the final whistle blew. There was a commotion to get inside all the doors in time but as the train pulled away from the station slowly, people rushed to windows to wave. People stood on the distinctly empty platform waving back, and Harry turned his collar up against the cold. He couldn't wait to get back inside.

The ride back to the castle seemed shorter than the one away from it. Harry quickly found himself in a remarkably empty great hall. The normal four long tables had been pushed to the edges, leaving only one long one with benches either side. Still, there was a full display of a feast fit for kings piled up along the full length. There were massive Pine trees all around the edges of the hall and they were all decorated with white decorations. Fake snow fell softly from the ceiling, though it never actually hit anything it just looked like snow.

When Professor McGongall gave her speech, she announced that eighth years could spend the entire holiday in Hogsmeade if that was their wish and that also all others will have a daily trip with Hagrid. She'd told them a set of basic rules and wished everyone a happy and peaceful holiday before sitting herself down and being showered in applause, mainly from Hermione.

"She's a brilliant Headmistress, isn't she?" Hermione enthused once she had listened to the speech and was clapping her hands enthusiasticly.

Harry nodded in vague agreement and applauded too, even the Slytherin's couldn't find fault in this particular speech. So they ate with a hushed hum of voices over the top, quiet conversations filling the room. The food was fantastic and festive as ever, with turkey legs and various other poultry with gravy and mash. It was home food, it tasted like what Harry always presumed his mother's cooking would have tasted like should he ever have tried it.

When everyone made their way back to their respective common rooms they were cheery and full of food, so when a certain Slytherin suggested a few games not even Hermione objected.

* * *

><p>It had started with exploding snap, of course. Draco knew that Pansy had something more planned for the night, so he expected everything that came next. It'd moved onto exploding snap with a forfeit, then it'd turned into truth or dare and a few people had been shouted at by Pansy because they tried to go to bed. That was when Blaise had brought out his trunk of imported firewhiskey and Pansy had nearly exploded in excitement. Draco had only just repressed his roll of his eyes, his best friends were just too predictable.<p>

"This isn't such a good idea, at least one of us should be sober." Hermione said doubtfully as Pansy had began planning a list of drinking games she knew.

"Well Granger, I'm so glad you've volunteered to be the resident party pooper, I didn't think anyone was going to do so." Pansy sneered and Hermione just narrowed her eyes and muttered something about intelligence under her breath and went to sit it out. Harry had gone to follow her and come back after she'd hit him on the arm with a book.

The group arranged themselves in a cricle. Pansy, Blaise, Draco, Ernie, Hannah, Anthony, Lisa and Harry were all sat cross legged on the floor in a rather undignified manner. Still wearing their shirts and ties from their uniforms nobody had bothered to change yet.

"Stip poker with free alcohol or 'I've never'. It's your choice guys." Blaise said as he sat down a crate of firewhiskey and set it down in the center along with a pack of cards. Purposefully, he crossed his arms and looked around the circle expectantly. Nobody spoke for a long time.

"I'm shit at poker, the other one." Harry said after a while. Of course Harry would be shit at poker, he was a typical Gryffindor. No cunning, no ability to lie. Draco was very smug that at least he could beat Harry at something, as Draco was particularly good at poker.

"I've never it is. Don't worry I'm sure poker will arise at some point!" Pansy said excitedly, ringing her hands. "Accio shot glasses." A line of roughly ten shot glasses made their way into her hands quickly.

"Who starts?" Draco asked sweetly. If he was nice to his friends, they probably wouldn't embarrass him too much. He could see they were looking for fun in embarrassing someone and he could only hope they'd pick on Ernie instead of him.

"Hold on I'll just cast the charms." Pansy said. He knew what she was talking about. She'd managed to invent the charms that meant anyone in the circle absolutely had to stick to the rules. They could drop out before each turn if they wished, but once something was said they had to be completely honest. Someone will say "I've never..." and something they've never done, anyone who has done it has to take a shot. It was probably Draco's least favourite game. If was undignified to not be able to lie.

Once she was done she looked over at Draco and wiggled her eyebrows, a sign that Draco hoped meant she was going to pick on someone else.

"I've never cast a cruciatis curse." Pansy said proudly and looked at Draco expectantly. Apparently not, the bitch.

Draco picked up his already full shot glass and downed it in one, only just feeling the burn he'd gotten used to at the back of his throat. What shocked him most is that the other person to do the same was Harry Potter. The golden boy had cast an unforgivable. He obviously noticed the circle staring at him, but simply shrugged like he didn't care, though it was obvious to Draco that he did. For a moment he wondered whether their truce stretched far enough to ask him about it, and decided it probably didn't.

Then of course as they made their way around the circle with I've never's they got more and more mundane each time. Things about never eating grass or never drinking bleach and things. Draco had no idea what bleach was, but he guessed it didn't taste nice because nobody had drank it. The last person he imagined would break the mundane chain was Ernie McMillan.

"I've never sexually kissed someone of my gender. Does that make sense?" He questioned. It did obviously, because as hard as Draco faught, he found himself along with Lisa picking their glasses and downing their shots. Draco didn't feel tipsy yet at all although he could see some people were starting to look a little out of it. Draco felt people's stares for a moment, but then when Hannah started to talk almost everyone looked at her. Everyone but Harry, who was staring at him with narrowed eyes. "What?" Draco mouthed at him, which seemed to snap Harry out of his little trance as he took a shot for a reason Draco hadn't heard.

When it came to Draco's turn he decided to get Pansy back.

"I've never run through the forbidden forest in only socks." Draco stated, as he smiled sweetly at Pansy taking her shot and glaring at him. People giggled, and it would have been more satisfying if he couldn't feel Harry staring at him.

Pansy's next "I've never" was directed at embarrassing Hannah Abbot. As were most of her "I've never"'s after that point. Pansy was like a dog, once she'd bitten down she'd never let go. Hannah was a particularly easy target, Draco thought and he wished his friend's would be mean to Harry instead. Not that they hadn't done their fair share of that over the years.

"I've never given a blowjob." Lisa Turner said proudly, and practically all the girl's reached for their shot glasses, along with Draco. A string of words sounding distinctly like jumbled versions of fuck and shit came out of his mouth as he once again downed a glass of firewhiskey. Now he was starting to feel tipsy, though it still didn't numb the feel of Harry's eyes carefully scrutinising him. He felt Blaise carefully pat him on the back while stifling a laugh at his poor friend's expense. Then he turned back to wink at Pansy. Three guesses as to who her blow jobs go to, Draco thought bitterly. He wasn't a happy drunk, and he never had been. As people got more and more drunk and the Hufflepuffs left, the questions got more and more interesting. At the same time, more and more sexual.

"I've never been licked out." was particularly embarassing, as according to Pansy's spell it didn't matter what the technical term for it was. So Draco took another shot. People looked at him curiously and some with disgust, though Draco found himself beginning to not care. He wasn't everybody's cup of tea, and he'd grown to realise that. The alcohol helped with the not caring thing too. Draco had come to realise that after a few shots there was very little in the world he could force himself to care about. He was still mad at his friends for suggesting the game and basically outing him rather ungracefully. It was their fault, Draco decided. Tomorrow he'd really hate them for it, and they knew it, but right now he really couldn't care less.

"I've never been so drunk I vomited on a stranger." Blaise said. Draco took a shot. So did Lisa and Anthony.

"I think I'm going to bed..." Lisa said, which got a resounding "me too" from everyone but Pansy and Draco. Draco only disagreed because he was too busy concentrating on glaring at Blaise for his last I've never. Blaise simply winked and whispered in his ear that he'd be happy to throw a coming out party if he wanted.

"Well you're all boring, it's only 2am. Stupid people, no fun." Pansy stropped and went to make her way to her room. But Blaise grabbed her by the waist, flung her over his shoulder and ran into their room. Draco rolled his eyes and just prayed they'd be quiet or use some kind of charm. He saw Harry talking to Hermione and pushed past him pureposefully on the way into his dorm. Draco was in a foul mood already and he didn't even have a hangover yet. He didn't know why the fact he'd had a bad night meant he should pick on Harry, but in his drunken mind it did.

* * *

><p>Harry awoke late morning feeling like he should be dead. In fact, he felt worse than he did when he had just maybe died. His head was pounding in a rhythm which reminded him vaguely of the bad dance music Dudley used to listen to. Harry groaned when he opened his eyes to the blindingly bright sea of red and gold which were his bed sheets, and then swore to himself he'd never drink alcohol again in his life.<p>

The pounding in his head got worse when the lights were suddenly brighter. Harry sat up to shout at whoever it was who'd opened the curtains just as Pansy shouted "Wake up you fucking Squibs!" and stormed out the door. Blaise laughed and went after her before coming back around the corner and chucking a pillow onto Draco's head.

"You too, gaylord." Draco narrowed his eyes at him and dived back under the covers.

Harry got up and focused on steadying himself and walking to the shower as painlessly as possible. It was more difficult than Harry expected so he found himself nearly walking into Ron's bed on the way and certainly taking longer than he should have done. However once he'd safely got to the bathroom door he found it already blocked by a stupidly blond and pointy head. Normally he and Draco found they could ignore each other or be pleasant, though not today.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Golden Boy! Please, go ahead." Draco mocked falsely. He stepped towards the doorway to cut ahead, but Harry was having none of it. None at all. Not when he was in the mood he was.

"Fuck you, Malfoy." Harry shouted and pulled Draco back out of the doorway by the back of his tee shirt, which very nearly ripped.

Draco spun round and whacked Harry's arm, hard. Pulling his hand away he scowled at Draco scathingly. The boy's hair was a mess and his eyes looked more tired than usual, though he still managed to pull it off and look like that was how he wanted to appear. That was a trait Harry was a tad envious of.

"I'd rather you didn't, Potter." Draco spat and looked at him with a look of disdain. Harry realised he wasn't wearing his glasses, so Draco must be really bloody close for him to still be seen clearly. For a reason Harry couldn't fathom, that thought made his stomach flip. He decided not to engage in whatever argument Draco was trying to drag him into and simply stepped ahead into the doorway.

"You arrogant bastard!" Draco growled and launched himself through the door too. They collided and both tried to simultaneously pull the other out of the bathroom. Neither one particularly needed the toilet, or a shower. It was the principle.

Draco had Harry by scruff of his neck and Harry had Draco by the upper arms. They pushed and pulled each other to try and get the other out the door roughly, no doubt leaving bruises. Harry knew how childish it was, and that if his friends saw him they'd think he was the biggest idiot. Frankly, he didn't care.

Harry felt the breath leave him suddenly, as a sharp and bony fist met his unprepared stomach. He coughed and spluttered for a moment and Draco smirked.

"You fight like a girl." Draco said to him softly, almost pityingly.

A surge of anger rushed through him. His cousin used to tell him that, and it always had the same effect. A wave of fire coursed through him and he felt a growl emerge from deep inside his belly. Using his grip of Draco's shoulders, he pushed the boy against the tiled wall and was met with little resistance. Draco hadn't been expecting retaliation and he was no where near as strong as Dudley.

Draco struggled and shouted loudly and wordlessly, his arms swiping to try and get to Harry but failing.

"Yeah, you'd know all about that wouldn't you?" Harry smirked and tried to wrestle him back out the door.

They pushed and shoved hard, kicking shins and slamming fists but getting no further than a few inches. Harry didn't know what to do, and so without really thinking about it he pulled Draco's forearm up to his mouth and bit down on it hard.

He wondered what on earth he'd been thinking, but draco winced in pain anyway. The other boy managed to push Harry away before he could draw blood but there were still visible teeth marks.

"Kinky." Draco joked and Harry was stunned.

What? Harry had no idea where that had come from and was embarrassed. He paused and felt his cheeks flush for a moment, but soon regained his ability to push back and fight Draco for the bathroom.

"Why is everything you say a fucking innuendo?" Harry shouted. Draco found time and a hand to give him a middle finger and a quick left hook to his waist. Harry huffed and got Draco back with one right on his chest. Draco got his breath back but managed to hold Harry off too.

"What the fuck?" They both heard and paused to turn and see Blaise stood in the doorway looking shocked, followed closely by an exasperated Hermione and an amused Pansy. "Get off my best friend!"

Blaise's face went from shocked to outraged and he went to lunge at Harry. Never before had Harry seen the protective side of a Slytherin, and he had to admit it was a little scary. Hermione got flustered and tried to loudly talk them into calmness.

Harry released his hold on Draco but pushed him out the door and slammed it behind him, locking himself in the bathroom they'd been fighting over. For a few moments Harry heard Draco protest, before he was calmed down and obviously stood to wait for Harry to finish. Soon after he heard Pansy throw a snide comment at Hermione and Hermione deftly ignore it. He could imagine her rolling her eyes.

If he was honest with himself, Harry felt like an idiot. He'd not only just had a fight with Draco Malfoy, but he'd done so over a bathroom. That really did just feel so stupid. Harry had reason's though, Draco had always known how to get under his skin and they pretty much fed off each other's hatred. It wasn't healthy, but it was fun to be mean sometimes when all Harry had ever known was how to be nice. Sure, he liked being nice and having friends, but being mean was enticing. It was probably another horcrux, Harry thought cynically. Or maybe he was just attracted to the dark side?

Either way, he still had to pee.


	7. Chapter Seven

**_Disclaimer:_**_ Any recognisable characters, setting and scenarios are owned by the wonderful and amazing J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros and other suchlikes. I am making no money and am doing this for purely entertainment purposes, don't eat me. Also, many jokes in these belong to my humorous friends who will possibly eat me if I don't give them credit_

_**A/N:** Hey my beautiful wonderful darling sweetheart readers... If you're still there I'd like to give you all a major apology. Basically, exams, holiday and lack of inspiration to write about Christmas in the middle of summer. I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry. But here's the thing if you're a Doctor Who fan, expect a fanfic soon because the first episode is tomorrow! Here's the chapter anyway, beta'd by me as per, so feel free to point out mistakes. There's a hell of a lot of dialogue in here and the prose aren't great, but subtext wise I've gone crazy. Notice non gender specific descriptions coming from Harry. Okay yes, Enjoy and please do review, it saves house elves!_

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><p>Hermione was sat in the library reading up on shared dreams. She was looking for any and every kind of psychological connection and it seemed that there wasn't any type of magic that could just attach itself to two people. It always had to be cast by one or both of the pair. However the fact was either one of them was spectacularly good at lying, or this didn't happen. Neither one knew the other had been having the same problem. She'd thought long and hard about cornering them both in a room and getting them involved, surely having a clear picture from both sides would help? But after a while she decided if they'd get in a fight over a bathroom perhaps it was better to not bring them into this just yet...<p>

It was nearly lunch time and she needed to eat. She'd had breakfast earlier than usual and her stomach was rumbling louder and louder each time. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a couple sat in the corner doing something suspiciously not reading. Cooly and calmly she waved her wand and a book fell on the boy's head.

"Last warning." She called over, without bothering to turn around and she saw them move away sheepishly from the corner of her eyes. Really, she did love being a prefect sometimes. She'd been offered the position of head girl, however she'd declined to give one of the 7th years a chance, it would've hardly been fair. It's a tradition that the 7th years are head boys and girls and Hermione wouldn't be the one to break the tradition. If she'd been in 7th year and an 8th year had've got the part she would not have been happy.

She wrote a quick note to Blaise asking him where he'd got to with his research. They'd only been working on it for a week, but she could already see who hadn't been doing his homework. Within a minute she had a reply.

"Between Draco and Pansy I've had no sleep or spare time. I have a life you know, Granger."

Well somebody was in a bad mood. She thought to herself.

"Is Malfoy still having the dreams, and can you tell if Harry does?"

"Draco is, yes. Potter's never asleep so I don't know."

Hermione thought for a moment, she knew Harry was getting to be a bit of an insomniac because of these dreams but she didn't know he never slept. She'd have to work a bit faster, Christmas would be no fun if Harry was miserable, and Christmas was tomorrow. She was reminded of it everywhere she went with younger years wearing santa hats and festively dressed trees on every corridor. If only she could figure this out. She'd looked up every single type of bonding spell, even ones cast by one of the pair just in case. She'd been searching for things that could happen accidentally, but nothing fit. Perhaps it wasn't a bonding spell at all, but then what was it?

"We need to talk to them." She wrote on the note. She knew this was probably a bad idea, whatever truce they'd come to seemed to have been broken recently and they'd been fighting like cat and dog since the toilet scene yesterday.

"I'm not ruining my Christmas. We'll talk to them on boxing day."

Hermione smiled when she got that note. She loved it when wizard's used muggle terms without really realising it.

"Get some sleep, and do some research. I thought you'd be more helpful but obviously not." Hermione wrote back.

"Whatever, Granger. Is Potter straight?" Was the note she received in less than a few minutes. She rolled her eyes, what is it with him and... Oh. Maybe this bond was caused by something other than a spell. Probably not though, Harry wasn't someone to talk about his feelings, but he couldn't hide them either. There was no way he and Malfoy could have forged an emotional or physical bond strong enough to make this happen without Harry letting it slip. And she'd looked up hatred bonds extensively enough to know they hadn't managed one of those. If he was implying what she thought he was, he must be mad.

His disinterest in Ginny, one of the most beautiful girls in school, had added to her suspect that Harry may not be all that interested in girls. But you couldn't just jump to conclusions like that, she knew. And even if Harry was interested in guys, surely he wouldn't be stupid enough to like Draco, and not tell anyone.

"Theoretically, yes. But then who really knows with him?"

* * *

><p>Draco was planning out many different and strenuously painful ways to kill Blaise Zabini and make it look like an accident. He let the hot water in the shower run over him and soothe his aching muscles from fighting yesterday and his broom ride last night. He hadn't really been expecting a truce between him and Harry to last long, they couldn't ignore each other for seven years why should it be different now?<p>

The door slammed and Draco had to stop himself from growling with frustration. "I know this is a big bathroom but I'm not sharing so fuck off."

It was still quiet a moment after, and Draco felt like a bit of an idiot. Hell, maybe he was hearing things. The door opened again, and then a pregnant pause before it shut again. Draco rolled his eyes, deciding it'd just be Blaise trying to be more annoying than he already was.

"Did you leave the shower on, Zabini? You told me the bathroom was empty."

It took Draco a moment to recognise the voice, long enough for a locking charm to be cast on the door.

Draco muttered under his breath, turned the shower off and threw a towel around his hips. "Blaise I'm going to kill you!" Draco yelled and heard hysterical laughing from outside the door as he got out the cubicle.

He got out and felt the cold instantly, it was like the arctic in comparison to the hot shower he'd been in.

When Harry saw him he stared for a moment, then blushed, then turned away as Draco smirked at him. Okay, so maybe he was kind of cute... Draco mentally slapped himself for that thought.

"I'm sorry, Zabini said the bathroom was empty and..."

"Shut up, it's Blaise I'm killing, not you." Draco said and walked over to the door, trying about four wandless charms to open it, each one failing.

"Open the door!" He called, and this time he was sure he heard Pansy laughing. Why couldn't he just have normal friends?

"Please, Zabini?!" Harry called hopefully.

"If he's not responding to death threat's he's not going to respond to 'Please'." Draco deadpanned and turned to give Harry a cruel look. "Why is it always the bathroom?"

"No id..." Harry trailed off, staring at Draco's chest.

"What?" He asked.

"Y-your scars..." Harry said, his voice a near whisper.

Draco looked down and sure enough there were the three pink scars that he'd gotten so incredibly used to seeing. At first he'd always put a glamour over it, even when his shirts were covering it or he wasn't going out. Recently he'd not really bothered, his friend's had all seen them and he didn't really get changed around people anyway.

Of course Harry looked like a freshly kicked puppy, but Draco wasn't sure if he was entirely ready to forgive him just yet. After all, it was Harry's fault anyway.

"Yes, my scars. You want to stroke them?" Draco asked, though it wasn't a sincere offer. Unable to help himself he rolled his eyes, shoved Harry out the way in order to get to the door.

His fists slammed down hard on the door and it shook in its frame a little.

"Open the door. Now." Draco called, trying to keep himself calm enough to sound commanding.

Slowly, the door clicked and unwound itself like clockwork, then creaked open. He had no idea what charm Blaise had used on the door but it was acting like the vaults at Gringott's. Draco told himself he'd have to get Blaise to teach him that charm.

* * *

><p>Harry sat down at the lunch table opposite Hermione and sighed. It'd been a long morning. Blaise had decided to take it upon himself to make Harry's life a misery by trying to get Draco and himself to spend time together. If Draco hadn't threatened to hex his balls of they'd have been locked in the bathroom to kill each other. Honestly, Harry couldn't understand Slytherin's sometimes.<p>

"Where've you been?" He asked accusingly.

When Hermione looked up from deep thought she smiled apologetically and Harry fought hard to be angry at her. She was a little too easy to be friend's with sometimes.

"I'm sorry Harry, I didn't think you'd want to study History of Magic with me." Hermione said with a smile and tapped his hand with her own. Harry couldn't argue with that. There was nothing he could think of that'd he'd be less glad to do, other than perhaps sowing his own finger's together and then eating them. So far nobody had given him that ultimatum.

"I think you ought to make a formal complaint about the living arrangements."

"Me too." Hermione grumbled between mouthfuls, barely looking up from her book. She'd tied her hair up in a bun today and it was falling in her face, a clear sign she'd been busy reading all day.

"You know Blaise tried to lock me and Malfoy in the bathroom?" Harry whined, and when Hermione looked up and raised her eyebrows he continued. "Yeah, apparently he thinks we need to make friends. Stupid, right?"

Hermione chuckled for some reason but when Harry shot her a glare she went serious again. "Preposterous." She agreed in a deadpan.

Harry looked at her funny but carried on eating. Sometimes it was just better to accept that Hermione knew things you didn't. It was like dealing with Dumbledore, you only ever really knew half of what they did. Probably less, as Hermione knew just about everything.

"So, where have you been? Other than the bathroom." Hermione asked.

"Helping Lisa with her potions homework. Well, sitting with her and pretending I knew what she was talking about." Harry shrugged, thanks to his partner he was getting top grades, so of course she'd have asked him. Plus he now knew the answers without asking Hermione...

"Really? Did she ask you to?" Hermione asked with a smug smile on her face which Harry didn't really understand.

"Yes. Why?" Harry asked slowly.

Hermione laughed, which made Harry a little nervous. "Sometimes, you can be incredibly thick, considering you're a hero and everything."

Harry narrowed his eyes, but decided to let it pass. It clicked into place what she meant, and he rolled his eyes, mumbling a "It's not like I'm interested in her anyway."

Glancing down at her book and then back up again, Hermione gave Harry a serious look. "So who are you interested in?"

Harry furrowed his eyebrows and considered it for a long time. Not Ginny, not Cho, not anyone he'd previously been interested in. When he thought about it there was nobody, nobody he could take an interest in. Other than Draco and his friends. And he was only interested in Draco because, because well... He just was, but it wasn't an interest interest like Hermione was talking about. Or at least he didn't think so. He knew Draco was sexy but he wasn't gay, which made knowing that just normal. And non interested, he thought.

"Nobody." Harry said with a shrug, but she didn't buy it for a moment.

"Who _would_ you be interested in?" She asked with a sincere look of interest on her face.

"I don't know, someone interesting." When Harry saw the look she gave him, he decided to elaborate a little. He wasn't scared of Hermione, he told himself, he just didn't want to upset her. "Someone different, because the same is boring. Someone I can relate to, just someone who's interesting."

Hermione appeared deep in thought and Harry continued eating, even though he wasn't all that hungry.

"You know Draco?" He said a while later, and Hermione looked up at him with raised eyebrows.

"Draco?"

"Yeah."

"Right, okay. Yes I know _Draco_." Hermione said, but Harry had no idea what she was trying to get at.

"He has scars, three massive white ones over his chest and stomach, from where I... You know." Harry said awkwardly and hoped Hermione would tell him Draco was a git and deserved them. It was what Ron would say, but he knew he was biased. All three of them were, but Hermione was one of those eternally reasonable people.

"Did you apologise?" She asked neutrally. Damn, Harry thought.

"No. Should I?"

"If you're calling him Draco now, then yes you should." She said simply.

* * *

><p>Draco was reading and the dorm was empty. Pansy had told everyone they were staying up until midnight to welcome Christmas, but Draco had told her no. He didn't want to eat her food, which probably had some kind of potion in to make people give up their darkest secrets and then wet themselves. He didn't want to dance around and act like he was enjoying himself, because he wasn't.<p>

It'd hit him this evening that he'd probably never spend Christmas with his family ever again, and certainly not with their souls intact. Sure, his parents weren't exactly a campaign for perfect parenting, but they cared. His mother did, at the very least. He didn't even know what he was reading, and he had been on the first page since he picked it up and hour ago. He could probably have done with some firewhiskey from the little party outside.

The door creaked open and Harry walked in, making a beeline for Draco's bed.

He really could have done without that.

"Fuck off, Potter." Draco spat and turned to lie on his stomach instead.

"No. Can I sit down, Draco?" He heard Harry ask.

"No. And it's most definitely Malfoy." Draco answered with all the menace he could muster.

"I'm sorry, for hurting you. I didn't know what that spell did, else I wouldn't have done it." Harry said softly, sounding too sincere for Draco to ignore. Cursing inwardly, he turned over and sat up.

"I know." He said, and it was true. Snape had told him, he'd told him almost everything. Snape had more than once tried to convince him to join his side, whatever side that was in the end.

"I'm really so sorry, and I wish I could take it back." Harry sat down anyway and smiled weakly.

Times like this reminded Draco of why he hated Harry so much. Harry and his sweet smile, Harry and his heroic qualities. Harry and his strong morals, his charming dorkiness and his ability to be perfect all the fucking time. Draco really really hated it. It wasn't even jealousy anymore, just pure hatred for Harry and his perfection.

"Forgiven, go away." Draco muttered and picked his book up back open to the first page. He tried to read it but he found he couldn't take anything in with Harry sat there watching him.

"How are you, honestly?" Draco heard Harry ask cautiously.

"I don't want to talk about it and if I did I wouldn't talk to you." Draco replied and Harry sighed.

There was a long moment of silence, only broken by the sound of each one breathing and Draco turning the page even though he hadn't read anything yet. He didn't even know what it was about.

"I used to hate Christmas too. Believe it or not I was treated little better than you treated Dobby, even on Christmas. And then when... When people die and it's Christmas and you know that you're never going to see them again, it just makes it seem a little redundant. Because what is the point, really? And you can really depress yourself, I know. I just... You don't have to sit in here alone." Harry said slowly and awkwardly. It did make Draco feel a little better, but of course he'd never admit to that.

"So what do you suggest I do instead?" Draco asked, disinterestedly.

"Help me finish this bottle of Firewhiskey so we can both sleep until Christmas Dinner." Harry offered cautiously while holding up a bottle, and Draco smiled despite himself. That really wasn't a bad idea, and the bottle was nearly full so he probably would sleep. Well he probably wouldn't now he thought of it, not peacefully anyway.

Sighing he nodded in agreement and crossed his legs in order to sit up properly. He'd unbuttoned his shirt to halfway down earlier but other than that he was still dressed, whereas Harry was in some rather tasteless pajamas. They looked like the room around them, red and green Christmas vomit. With smiley face snitches on, to add insult to injury.

"Those pajamas are ridiculous." Draco said conversationally.

"The fact you're still fully dressed at 11pm is ridiculous." Harry replied.

"I like clothes."

"You spend enough on them."

Draco narrowed his eyes and snatched the bottle out of his hands. He took a big swig and felt the burn go down his throat and warm his insides. Then as he put the bottle down he tried to hide the wince and saw Harry smirk out of the corner of his eye.

"What?" Draco asked impatiently.

"Too strong for your delicate palate?" He teased and Draco shot him a serious look. Delicate, in other words weak. Harry was calling him weak and Draco didn't like it one bit. Okay, it was slightly irrational. Draco knew it but he couldn't make himself care.

"I'm not delicate." He said proudly, grabbed the pack of cigarettes on his bed-side table and the bottle of Firewhiskey, and made his way out the door.

He stormed across the common room pretty much unnoticed and so did Harry, who Draco could hear trailing after him. Up the stairs, across the great hall and down the corridor.

"Where are you going?" Harry asked impatiently.

"For a smoke." Draco replied.

"Cigarettes are a muggle invention." Harry said, as if that meant Draco wasn't allowed them.

"Used to care, don't any more."

* * *

><p>Harry rolled his eyes at Draco's tantrum, he really was like a spoilt child. Draco pushed the doors open and stepped out into the cold, and Harry slipped through them behind him. It was bitterly cold outside, and it looked like it'd probably snow more tomorrow. The night air was rigid and they both sat down on a wooden bench, which they very nearly froze themselves to.<p>

"Bloody hell it's freezing." Harry muttered as he saw Draco pulling out a cigarette with one hand and giving him the bottle with the other. He took the Firewhiskey reluctantly and took a swig, the liquid seeming to heat him up from the inside out. It seemed Draco was ignoring his comment on the weather.

"Want one?" Draco offered and Harry considered it for a moment. Draco seemed to sense his internal debate. "Too rebellious for your heroic personality?" He mimicked Harry scarily well.

Still, rising to a challenge was something Harry did well. He grabbed the cigarette and took it in his hand, mimicking Draco. He suddenly wished he'd have done the whole smoking thing a while ago, so he wouldn't look like a total dunce in front of Draco. Draco muttered a charm and both cigarettes lit up, he turned to look at Harry expectantly. The face he pulled was like the kind used on poster campaigns for "Don't give in to peer pressure".

"I've never..." Harry explained, but when Draco raised his eyebrows he took a drag anyway.

It burned down his through like fire and half choked him to death. He inhaled but got no oxygen and his body didn't like is one bit. He pulled the cigarette out his mouth and felt his chest heave as he he coughed and spluttered. Harry felt like someone had poured acid down his throat, and he was sure if he spoke his voice'd come out croaky.

"Clearly." Draco said and laughed, taking the cigarette off Harry. "No more, you'll hurt yourself."

But Harry wasn't going to let that happen. He wasn't going to accept defeat that easily, no way.

"No! Right give it here." Harry snatched it back, nearly burning himself in the process. He remembered someone saying not to fully inhale if you don't like it, or something like that anyway, when he was forced out with Dudley and his friends one time. And so he took a shallow drag and blew it right back out again into the cold night air where it diffused into nothing.

Draco laughed again at Harry, and Harry looked at him puzzledly. But Draco just blew smoke in his face and laughed harder. Harry decided to let it go, because Draco was much nicer when he was laughing. They sat in silence for a long time, until they'd both finished their cigarettes and passed the bottle between them several times.

"When did you cast an unforgivable?" Draco asked quietly.

"The only time it worked was on Carrow, when he spat at McGonagall." Harry replied simply. He didn't really want to answer, but it was better than arguing. He guessed it made them have a little more in common, and he knew very well he wasn't perfect. "You?"

"When I was forced to, either by my father or in self defence." Draco said simply. "Is it true you didn't know you were a wizard until you were eleven?"

"Yeah. Are you gay?"

"Yeah, are you?"

Harry thought about it, for the first time. He really thought about it, his drunken mind wasn't able to make a decision through the slightly blurry edges.

"I don't know." Is what he settled for eventually, and he was suddenly hyper aware that he was sat rather close to Draco, a fact he hadn't noticed before through the cold and the conversation. It really was freezing and Harry found himself shivering, but Draco seemed contented enough, so Harry didn't really want to say anything to upset him.

"You should decide." Draco said earnestly, staring out into the distance.

The air was still and the night and darkness around them seemed almost oppresive, but not in a bad way. The clock chimed midnight quietly from the other side of Hogwarts, but neither one said a word. Neither one wanted to spoil it.

Then they heard a high pitched meow, and Harry turned round to see Filch's cat running off into the building.

"Shit." Harry and Draco simultaneously swore and got up.

"Fucking squib I'd bet he'd give us a detention on Christmas you know?" Harry heard Draco say behind him as they ran down the corridors to the common room. The warmth inside had hit them like a wall and they were both thawing already and they said the password and sped down the steps to the now empty common room. Obviously everyone had gone to bed just after midnight while they'd been freezing themselves to death outside. They crept in trying to stifle laughs in their drunken state.

"Glad to see you two are having fun but if you wake me up again I swear to Merlin I'll skin you both alive." Blaise said through his teeth as they came charging into their dorm.


End file.
